The Quick And The Undead
by mickelus
Summary: What if Buffy and the Scoobies found a way to use guns to help in the fight? I will try to keep this from becoming a crossover with Blade, Underworld, or the manga/anime Hellsing, but if it ventures into that realm...oh well.
1. Welcome To The Hellmouth

**A/N:** I found a challenge that I really wanted to try. It isn't supposed to be very serious so keep that in mind while reading. I hope it turns out well. If things go the way I plan this will be a very long fiction series.

Warning: There will be events throughout the series that I will change to my liking. Some will be minor details that annoyed me and in some cases an entire episode might disappear (i.e. "Ted). I don't plan on introducing original characters at the moment, but that may change. You've been warned

And a thank you to **evilredknight** who pointed out that that chapter I initially posted was, well crappy. And I looked at it and it was not what I had intended to post so here's the actual chapter/episode 1.

AU – A world where Vampires & Buffy use guns

**Welcome To The Hellmouth**

(Daytime)

(Sunnydale High School)

It was a typical warm, sunny, late summer day in California. Outside the large stone structure that was Sunnydale High School in an early 90's model Jeep Cherokee a mother and daughter sat in relative silence. The girl, though her mother would never hold it against her, knew that she was the reason they had had to move to this God-forsaken town. Her mom insisted that they had moved to Sunnydale for a chance to start fresh after her father had left them for his secretary. Joyce turned to her daughter finally breaking the silence, "Have a good time, I know you're gonna make friends right away. Just think positive. And Buffy…honey…try not to get kicked out. Even if you have to take time to do your slayer duties, try to be discreet about it if you can." She finished pleadingly. Buffy had told her about being a slayer and then shown Joyce a vampire to prove she wasn't crazy. Joyce hadn't been happy, but once she had accepted it she had decided they should tell Dawn, just so she would be safe when she was out of the house.

"I promise mom. Bye Dawnie you have a good first day too." Buffy said with a reassuring smile as she stepped out of the vehicle waving to her eleven year old sister in the back seat.

As the Jeep pulled away Buffy turned toward the school, her petite five foot four inch tall frame standing confident with light blonde hair falling in waves across her shoulders as her hazel eyes calmly took in her surroundings. With a sigh she shouldered her bag and made her way into the stone structure.

Xander Harris, sci-fi nerd and proudly unpopular kid was rolling up in front of the school on his skateboard, wobbling as he swerved to avoid the other students on the crowded sidewalk. He was stunned when he caught a glimpse of the beautiful new girl walking up the stairs. So enamored was he the he could not avoid being clotheslined by the metal railing. He ended up lying on his back with one foot still resting on his skateboard squinting up at the sun until a cute redhead in a dark green flower-print dress stood over him blocking the sun, "Willow! You're so very much the person I wanted to see!" He exclaimed as he got back to his feet, picking up his skateboard as he and Willow made their way toward the school entrance.

"Oh really?" Willow asked in her usual bubbly manner.

"Yeah I kinda had a problem with the math."

"Uh…which part?"

"The math. Can you help me out tonight? Please be my study buddy."

"Well what's in it for me?"

"A shiny nickel."

"Ok well you need to check out a book."

"Check out a book?" Xander asked somewhat confused.

"Yes from the library, where the books live."

"Oh, right. I'm there, see I wanna change."

Just then Xander and Willow met up with their friend Jesse as they stepped through the doors and into the main hall of the school. They talked for a short time as they headed to their first class inevitably coming to the topic of the new girl and when asked by Willow and Xander what he knew about her Jesse simply said, "New girl."

"Well you're certainly a font of nothing." Xander stated as they continued down the hall.

Sitting in her first class of the day Buffy found herself at a bit of a loss when the teacher told them to turn to a page in their book, a book which Buffy didn't have due to the fact that instead of being able to go to the library to pick up any books she would need for her classes she had been talking with Principal Flutie, a nice man who tried to act tough when necessary, but came across as somewhat of a crazy person. Which lead to her quickly leaving his office to get to class on time and as she walked through the door she bumped into some guy in the hall causing her to spill half the contents of her bag. He stopped to help her pick everything up and introduced himself somewhat awkwardly as Xander.

Luckily for Buffy the well-dressed brunette next to her was willing to share her book with the new girl. So Buffy was able to survive her first class, as she was putting her notebook and pencils away the girl who had shared her book extended her hand, which Buffy shook, and introduced herself as Cordelia. Cordelia proceeded to give Buffy a tour of the school while quizzing Buffy on her coolness factor, the test ended with Cordelia informing Buffy that she passed. The two girls stopped at the water fountain where Willow was currently getting a drink. "Willow! Nice dress. Good to know you've seen the softer side of Sears!" Cordelia said causing Buffy to feel slightly uncomfortable with how she was treating the redhead.

_God what a total bitch!_ Buffy thought as she watched the interaction between the shy nerdy girl and Cordelia, _Was I like that at Hemery?_

Willow either not noticing or just ignoring the teasing responded, "Uh…w-w-well my mom picked it out."

"No wonder you're such a guy magnet. Are you done?" Asked the bullying girl glancing at the drinking fountain.

Willow quickly walked away and Cordelia turned to Buffy and said, "If you wanna fit in here, first rule is to know you're losers. Once you can identify them all by sight…" she trails off looking in the direction Willow had just walked, "They're a lot easier to avoid."

Buffy smiled and nodded, but she had only been half listening to the popular girl. She felt bad for the redhead who was apparently the subject of a lot of Cordelia's bullying. Buffy's heart sank a bit when she saw Willow look back before turning her eyes to the floor and walking around a corner. As Buffy and Cordelia resumed walking Cordelia told Buffy she should go to The Bronze later that night since it was the place to be. It was located in the bad part of town conveniently only half a block away from the good part of town. They parted ways as Buffy entered the library, already annoyed with the tall brunette.

After meeting with the librarian who along with her textbooks had set a giant leather bound book held closed by metal clasped with large letters spelling the word VAMPYR. Needless to say she made a hasty retreat from the library. She had promised herself to avoid facing all the things that went with being the vampire slayer, she didn't want for her and her mom and her sister to have to move again. Quickly regaining her composure she continued on with her day.

Later on she walked out onto the courtyard and saw Willow just sitting down to eat her lunch, she walked over to the girl and said, "Hi, Willow right?"

"Why? I-I mean hi. Uh do you want me to move?"

"Why don't we start with 'Hi I'm Buffy' and uh then lets Segway directly to me asking you for a favor. It doesn't involve moving but it does involve hanging out with me for a while."

"But aren't you hanging out with Cordelia?" Willow asked say the girl's name in disgust.

"I can't do both?" Buffy asked answering a question with a question.

"Not legally." Willow answered, the tone of her voice making Buffy unsure as to whether she was joking or not.

"Well Cordelia's been really nice…to me anyway, but um I kinda have this burning desire to not flunk all my classes and I heard you were the person to talk to if I wanna get caught up."

Suddenly excited about talking about school topics, and the prospect of possibly making a new friend, Willow's face brightened immensely as she smiled and said, "Oh! I can totally help you out. If you have sixth period free we could meet in the library."

"Or not. We could meet someplace quieter…or louder…that place just kinda gives me the wiggins."

Willow nodded understanding, "It has that effect on most kids. I love it though, it's got a great collection and the new librarian is really cool. He just started used to be the curator at a British museum or the British museum, I'm not exactly sure. But he knows everything and brought all these historical volumes, and biographies, and am I the single dullest person alive?"

Buffy smiled at Willow as she started eating her own lunch, "Not at all."

Suddenly Xander Jesse showed up in a flurry of movement and tossed backpacks, "Hey are you guys busy, are we interrupting, we're interrupting."

"Buffy this is Jesse," said Willow pointing to the tall, skinny, brown haired boy in an orange shirt, "and that's Xander."

"Oh, me and Buffy go way back, old friends, very close. Then there was that period of estrangement where I think we were both growing as people, but now here we are like old times, I'm quite moved." Xander said realizing he should just stop talking and finished with a nod of his head. Buffy though didn't seem too put off by his ramblings instead looking at him with a raised eyebrow and a smirk on her face.

Shaking his head while responding to his friends spiel Jesse said, "Is it just me or are you turning into a babbling idiot?"

"No, it's uh, not you." Xander responded as he and Jesse settled in for lunch.

"Well it's nice to meet you guys, I think." Buffy said ending with a slight frown on her face.

Jesse answered her, "Well you know we wanted to welcome you, make you feel at home, unless you have a scary home."

"And to return this." Xander said holding up the stake that had fallen out of Buffy's bag and she had forgotten to pick up, "The only thing I could think is that you're building a really little fence, unless of course you happen to be a vampire hunter or something like that" He conclude holding the stake with the sharpened point toward the ground.

"Uh, no actually it's for self-defense…everyone in LA has these. Pepper spray is just so passé." Buffy explained taking the stake and putting it back in her bag, wondering at Xanders non-joking tone when he mentioned vampires as well as Willow and Jesse not laughing or rolling their eyes at him. _Do they know?_ She wondered.

Displaying his ability to change topic at the drop of a hat Xander sat between Buffy and Willow on the bench asking, "So what do ya do for fun, what do you like, what do ya look for in a man? Let's hear it."

"And if you have any dark, painful secrets you'd like us to publish…" Jesse added trailing off.

"Gee everyone wants to know about me." Buffy said, smiling with mock enthusiasm, "How keen."

"Well not much goes on in a one Starbucks town like Sunnydale, you're pretty big news." Xander offered in explanation.

Just then Cordelia walked up asking if Buffy was being bothered by Willow and her friends. "She's not hanging out with us." Willow said trying to help Buffy save her reputation, if she wanted it saved.

Cordelia went on to tell them that gym was cancelled because of a dead guy found stuffed in a locker. As Buffy asked questions which caused the others to wonder why she was asking about the body, Jesse tried unsuccessfully to hit on Cordelia, who of course shot him down without missing a beat, barely even acknowledging his presence.

Buffy quickly took off from the group and broke into the locked-down locker room pulling the sheet back to examine the body. Finding two puncture wounds on his neck she made her way to the library. She and Giles had an argument in the library about slaying and duties until Buffy stormed away angry. Xander, who had gone into the library to check out the book Willow had told him to get, heard the whole thing and unsurprisingly disbelieving what he heard. _Though that would explain a lot of the strange things that happen around here,_ he thought, _I mean for a small town like Sunnydale we sure have a lot of crime that gets blamed on "gangs on PCP"._

(Nighttime)

(Summers' Residence)

After she had gone home and done her homework, which was a much lighter load thanks to Willow helping her after school, Buffy helped Dawn with her homework and then they both helped their mom with inventory for the art gallery. Dawn and Joyce then got supper ready; Buffy was only ever allowed to use the toaster, microwave, and sink, though with her slayer skills she was also useful with slicing and chopping. After dinner Buffy told her mom, who was sitting down to watch a movie with Dawn, that she was going to go hang out with some friends. After answering the expected questions from Joyce of who, what, when, and where, she was allowed to go.

(Sunnydale Streets)

Buffy, having sensed someone was following her quickly disappeared down an alley and waited as the individual passed by below her. He was a man of average height and seemed to be in his mid to late twenties, with brown hair, and was dressed in dark clothes. With all the grace of an Olympic gymnast Buffy swung from her perch knocking the man to the ground, after a short conversation followed by a cryptic message the man tossed Buffy a box with a silver cross necklace inside. After giving her the necklace he said, "I know the watchers are stuck in their ways, but I was given a message to pass on to you from my contact to the Powers That Be. They say don't be afraid to embrace modern technology and weapons in the battle against evil, it's time to move away from the ways of the past, though a stake or sword will still get the job done obviously."

When the stranger started to walk away Buffy called out to him asking, "Who are you?"

"Let's just say…I'm a friend." Answered the stranger.

"Yeah, well maybe I don't want a friend."

"I didn't say I was yours." He added as he disappeared around the corner.

(The Bronze)

A little bit later Buffy finally arrived at her destination, an all ages night club called The Bronze. She felt kind of awkward walking in alone; she scanned the interior, looking for any of the few people she might recognize. When she felt nearly ready to just give up and leave she spotted a familiar red haired girl sitting at the bar eating from the bowl of peanuts. She walked over and sat with Willow and talked with the shy girl for a while, learning a bit about her, Xander, and Jesse's past and even ended up giving Willow a bit of dating advice in telling her to "Seize the moment, cause tomorrow you might be dead." Just then Buffy spotted Giles on the upper level of the club. She excused herself from Willow and told her she'd be back in a moment.

Upon reaching the upper level she had another argument with Giles about her duties as the slayer, she was starting to acquiesce that she couldn't just quit and did as her watcher asked by scanning the club to see if she could spot any vampires. She found one quickly, much to Giles' surprise. She pointed him out by his dated wardrobe. Buffy was quite proud of herself and happy with accomplishing her task, until she saw that the girl the vampire was talking to happened to be Willow. Not even waiting for Giles' to say anything Buffy took off after them, but Willow and her new "friend" were already out of the building. However Buffy didn't see them leave and wasted time searching the back halls of the Bronze, nearly staking Cordelia with a broken chair leg thereby bring an end to her chances of easy popularity.

Realizing that Willow was no longer at the Bronze Buffy left, passing Xander as she went out the door, who, after Buffy told him about Willow meeting some guy, insisted he go with after seeing how upset Buffy was about the situation. They tracked Willow and her companion to a crypt in a cemetery. Then before Xander and Buffy could walk in they spotted Jesse and another woman enter the crypt as well.

(Restfield Cemetary)

Willow was crouching in a corner with an angry look on her face and holding Jesse protectively as he held his hand over a wound on his neck. "This isn't funny anymore. We're outta here!" Willow snarled.

"Oh, you're not going anywhere," said the blonde woman who had walked in with Jesse, as she switched to her demon face, "Until we've fed!"

Willow screamed and Buffy and Xander walked in distracting the vampires. "Who the Hell are you?" Asked the female vamp.

"You mean there's actually someone in this town who doesn't know already?" Buffy replied, "That's a relief, having a secret identity in this town is tough."

"Buffy, we're gonna bail now right?" Xander asked gesturing to the door of the crypt.

"Not yet!" Hissed the male vampire.

As the two vampires circled Buffy she addressed them again, "Now we can do this the hard way or…actually there's just the hard way."

"That's fine with me." Said the female vampire.

"Are you sure? We're talking violence, strong language, adult content." As Buffy finished the male vampire rushed her from behind as she pulled out her stake and dusted him without turning around. "See what happens when you roughhouse?"

"He was young and stupid."

"Xander go!" Buffy exclaimed as she and the remaining vampire began fighting.

Xander helped Willow and Jesse back to their feet and they hurried from the crypt. Buffy and the vampire trade blows for a short time. Then Buffy blocked a wild swing, landing a kick to the vampires midsection then struck with a downward elbow strike to the base of the next when her opponent doubled over. When Buffy was trading more words with the vampire now lying at her feet she was lifted off the ground from behind by a hand around her next and tossed across the room.

"You were supposed to be bringing an offering for the Master. We're almost at Harvest, and you dally with this child." Said the newcomer lifting the female vamp off the ground, carrying her with him as he spoke.

With her voice laden with fear the female vampire answered, "We had someone, then she came. She killed Thomas. Luke, she's strong!"

"You go, I'll see if I can handle the little girl." Luke ordered as he sent the other vampire away to chase down Xander, Willow, and Jesse.

After a short fight Buffy found herself laid out in the sarcophagus in the crypt with the vampire swooping in to bit her. Before Luke could finish his move there was a loud blast from beside the sarcophagus and instead of the weight of the large vampire, Buffy instead felt dust raining down on her. She climbed back out to the main part of the crypt and saw Dawn sitting propped up against the wall where she had been thrown after blowing the vampires head off by firing both barrels of their father's old shotgun. She was conscious and uninjured, but bruised and a little shaken up.

Buffy was about told tear into Dawn about how dangerous what she did had been when they heard Willows scream from outside. Buffy helped Dawn up and told her to stay close as they hurried out the door. They found Willow, Jesse, and Xander surrounded by five vampires. Jesse would be no help due to blood loss from his bite. Buffy was still assessing the situation when she saw Dawn reload the shotgun. "Stay close to me Dawnie. Don't shoot that unless there is no other choice, Okay?" Dawn answered with a nod.

Buffy and Dawn charged in and Buffy took on a vampire, staking it quickly. Xander and Willow, taking their cue and wasting little time, double-teamed a vampire, each grabbing an arm and driving her into a broken tree branch, effectively dusting her. Two other vamps and Jesse were gone and the last vampire, seeing Dawn as an easy target rushed her, thinking to bring the Master a prize. He was met by Dawn firing off one of the barrels knocking him back directly into Buffy's waiting stake and causing Dawn to stumble quickly backwards ending up on top of a pile consisting of her, Xander, and Willow.


	2. The Harvest

**The Harvest**

(Nighttime)

(Restfield Cemetery)

Buffy helped Dawn up from the pile of her, Willow, and Xander, after making sure Dawn was unhurt she hugged her tightly, "Dammit Dawnie! What the Hell are you doing out here?"

"I just wanted to help. You hardly ever hang out with me anymore, so I thought if I could kill vampires too you'd want to be around me again." Dawn mumbled, staring at the ground, her voice wavering as tear threatened to fall.

"Hey Dawn, you don't have to be able to kill vampires for me to want to hang out with you, I'm sorry you're feeling left out, I don't mean to make you feel that way, I've just been busy trying to adjust to the move from LA. You really scared me tonight though, but I'm glad you showed up, you know you saved me right sis?"

"Yeah, you were pretty cool with that shotgun. My names Xander by the way and this is Willow." Xander said introducing himself and his red headed best friend to the young girl, both of them shaking her hand. "Um where's Jesse."

"Shit they must've taken him. Ok here's the deal I'll try to track down Jesse, Willow, can you and Xander make sure Dawn gets home and Xander can you take the shotgun with you so Dawn doesn't get in even more trouble. Dawn just tell her you followed me to the Bronze and I had them walk you home while I went on patrol. Thank you for your help Dawn, but I need to know you're safe at home now, that's the best way you can help me right now, okay?"

The eleven year old answered with a nod and hugged Buffy again before leaving with Willow and Xander. She knew Buffy was right, their mother was neither violent nor prone to yelling, but she had the ability to make you feel like shit with a glance. When the trio got to the Summers' house Dawn felt a bit nervous as she opened the door and motioned for Xander and Willow to follow, when your sister was the slayer you learned quickly to not verbally invite people into your house. As soon as the door clicked shut Joyce appeared and wrapped Dawn in a hug before holding her at arms-length and asking in an eerily calm voice, "Where the Hell have you been missy?"

"Um…Mrs. Summers? My name's Willow and this is Xander. Dawn followed Buffy to The Bronze, and then Buffy asked us to walk her home so she could do a quick patrol. Oh and yes we know about the slayer thing…it's kinda cool actually…well not really cause vampires are scary, Xander and I killed one…and it's not cool the whole demons killing people thing…I'm babbling aren't I, it's something I do when I'm nervous, but I'm going to shut-up now, yep gonna stop talking now." Willow said finally bringing her babble fest to an end; Joyce could not help but smile at the obviously shy red head.

"It's nice to meet you both and thank you for walking my daughter home." She said before turning back to Dawn and saying in a low voice, "You, young lady, had best get to bed; we'll talk about this tomorrow." Turning back to Xander and Willow, "Would the two of you like something to eat or drink and wait for Buffy, or do you need to be getting home."

"Well I know that no one at my house cares when or if I come home, so I can stay for a while. What about you Wills?" Answered Xander with surprisingly little bitterness in his voice, but it was still there if you listened for it.

"Pretty much the same, I think my parents are in Tokyo this time."

Both their answers piqued Joyce's interest; _These kids seem like great people how can their parents not be involved in their lives?_ Joyce already knew she would be taking these two in just being the type of woman she was. She sat down and talked with the teens after making three cups of hot cocoa, getting to know her Buffy's new friends as they waited for Buffy to get back from patrol. The blonde walked in the door at about one thirty in the morning, Xander and Willow looked at her expectantly and she sadly shook her head, "Sorry guys, I couldn't find him. I'll look again tomorrow though."

"Buffy, really, what are the chances he makes it through tonight?" Xander asked somewhat rhetorically.

Buffy's lack of an answer was answer enough and Willow started to cry, Joyce instinctively embraced the teen trying to comfort her as Willow buried her face in the Joyce's shoulder and let the sobs overtake her.

(Next Day)

(Sunnydale High Library)

"This world is older than any of you realize, contrary to popular mythology, it did not begin as a paradise. For eons demons walked the Earth, made their home, their...uh Hell. In time they lost their purchase on this reality and a way was made for mortal animals…for man. What remains of the Old Ones, certain magics, vestiges, certain creatures…" Giles explained to Willow and Xander.

"And vampires," Buffy added.

Xander, who didn't want to believe, replied, "See, here's the problem, we're talking about vampires…having a talk with vampires in it…"

"Isn't that what we saw last night?" Asked Willow from her chair.

"No those weren't vampires those were just guys in major need of a facial, or maybe they had rabies? It coulda been rabies. And that guy turning to dust? Just a trick of the light." Buffy answered Xander's disbelief, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "That's what I said the first time I saw a vampire…well after I was done with the screaming part."

"Oh, I…I need to sit down." Said Willow in shock.

"You are sitting down." Buffy told her.

"Oh. Good for me."

"So vampires are demons?" Asked Xander.

Giles answered, "The books tell us that the last demon to leave this plane fed off a human, mixed their blood. Vampires are humans that become permanently possessed basically. He bit another, and another. And so they spread plaguing the Earth since. Waiting for the Old Ones to return."

(Underground Unknown Location)

The female vampire that Buffy fought in the crypt brings Jesse to present him to her Master. A vampire so old he lost the ability to take human form, now permanently in his true demon face. "Is this for me?" Asked the Master.

"An offering Master, he's a good one, his blood is pure."

"You tasted it? I'm your faithful dog, is that it Darla? You bring me scraps?"

"I didn't mean…"

"I have waited for three-score years I have waited. While you come and go I am stuck here! Here in this house of worship!" He gestured to their surrounding which were that of a sunken church, "My ascension is almost at hand, pray that when it comes, He said wrapping his clawed hand around Darla's throat, "That I'm in a better mood. Where is Luke?"

"Forgive me master we had more offerings, but there was a girl, she was strong and fought well, she knew of our kind. Luke nearly beat her, but her younger sister surprised him and took his head off with a shotgun. She and the other humans killed four others before I could get away with this one."

"A slayer?"

(Sunnydale High Library)

"So Buffy's the slayer? Chosen one whatever?" Xander asked.

Giles answered preparing for a nice long speech, "Yes as long as there's been vampires there has been the slayer. One girl in all the…"

"He loves doing this part." Buffy interrupted.

"Alright," Giles said exasperated, "A slayer hunts vampires, Buffy's the slayer, don't tell anyone. I think that's about all you need to know about vampires."

"Except for one thing, how do we kill them?" Asked the teen boy.

"You don't I do." Said Buffy.

"Jesse…"

"He's my responsibility, I let him get taken." Buffy interrupted again.

"That's not true." Xander said.

"Yeah, if you hadn't shown up they would've taken us too." Willow added, Does anyone mind if I pass out."

"Breathe," Buffy said placing her hand on Willow's shoulder. "I heard them say something about an offering to the Master, now if they weren't just feeding Jesse may still be alive."

"This may be a dumb question, but shouldn't we call the police? I know we can't say vampire, but…" Asked Willow.

"They couldn't help anyway," Buffy answered, "They'd only come with guns."

"Yeah but that's how Dawn saved you Buffy, with a gun. I know it was she decapitated it with a shotgun, but is there a way to make the bullets lethal? Soak the leads in holy water? Carve a cross into the type? Make the bullets out of wood?" Xander asked.

Giles was ready to shrug off the notion but he paused instead, "Xander, you may have something there. Wooden bullets might be doable, or the crosses carved in the tips. We'll look into that later though." He looked between the two normal students, "If the two of you are serious about being involved and helping I will train you, and I can always use help with the research." Turning back to Buffy he asked, "You're certain you didn't see where they went?"

"I looked around, but once they got clear of the graveyard they coulda just fwooom." She replied.

"They can fly?" Xander asked.

"They can drive."

"I don't remember hearing a car." Willow added her input.

"Let's take a huge intuitive leap here shall we, and assume they went underground." Giles offered.

"They do love sewer systems." Buffy explained, "You can get anywhere in town without catching any rays, but I didn't see any entrances there."

"If we had a diagnostic of the tunnel system it would be most helpful. We could go to the building commission."

"But we so don't have time."

"Uh guys…" Willow interrupted Giles and Buffy's back and forth conversation which wasn't going anywhere. "There may be another way."

A few minutes later Willow was sitting in front of a computer with the blueprints of the town's sewer, electrical, and drainage tunnels.

"So all the city plans are just open to the public?" Giles asked.

"Um…well…i-in a way, I-I sorta stumbled onto them, when I accidently decrypted the city council's security system." Willow tried to explain her "accidental hacking.

"There's nothing there though, I shoulda been more prepared, I thought I had everything under control, but then Luke came outta nowhere…" Buffy trailed off remember what happened the moment Luke showed up.

"What is it?" Xander asked.

"He came outta nowhere…He came from behind me. I was facing the entrance and he came from behind me. The tunnel access in in the mausoleum! They must've doubled back with Jesse and gotten past me. God! I am so mentally challenged!"

"So what's the plan? We saddle up and go after em right?"

"There's no we, Xander, I'm the slayer and you're not. I know Jesse's your friend, but you haven't been trained. I can't worry about keeping you safe on top of saving Jesse. I would love to have you guys' help but the only other one here with the training necessary is Giles and he needs to start researching the harvest thing." Buffy tried to decline his help as gently as possible.

"Yes I could certainly use the help, from what I've found so far the harvest is a pre-ordained massacre, rivers of blood, quite charmless. Let's get started on that while Buffy goes to rescue Jesse. I'm a bit fuzzy on the details of the ritual, perhaps you can arrest some information from that dread machine." Giles said to Willow while nodding his head toward the computer.

The three teens just stared at him for a few seconds before he spoke again, "That was a bit…um…British wasn't it?"

Willow got to work searching the internet for anything to do with the harvest and Buffy headed out to find Jesse. Later on Xander and Willow stood outside of class talking about how much their lives changed since just yesterday how they had this big secret now and nothing was really the same. "Don't worry about Buffy, Xander, whatever's down there I think she can handle it," said Willow.

"Yeah I do to." Xander agreed.

"So do I," Willow reiterated.

(Mausoleum Restfield Cemetery)

At the mausoleum Buffy found a locked gate and as she was about to break it open the mystery man showed up again. She asked him if he happened to have a key and he told her that they really were not fond of him dropping in, when she asked why he explained that they really do not like him. "How could that possibly be?" She asked sarcastically.

"I knew you'd figure out this entry way sooner or later, actually I _thought_ it was gonna be sooner." He answered in a condescending voice.

"Okay if you're gonna be popping up with the cryptic wise man act going can I at least get your name?" Buffy asked.

"Angel" He replied.

"Pretty name," Buffy said before turning back to the gate.

"You shouldn't go down there and put yourself at risk. Tonight is the harvest and unless you prevent it the Master walks." Angel warned.

"Well if this harvest thing is such a suckfest, why don't you stop it?"

"Cause I'm scared." He answered honestly.

Buffy kicked the gate open and Angel left after saying "good luck" and Buffy entered the tunnels. She wandered around for a bit before running into Xander who had followed her. She was mildly upset and told him to stay behind. Xander realized after a while that he hadn't picked up any weapons so Buffy handed him a cross.

(Sunnydale High)

Giles was busy researching and found a passage talking about a "vessel".

Willow was sitting in computer class listening to Cordelia complain about the assignment and then she started putting Buffy down. Willow tried to defend her new friend and Cordelia snapped at her. Turning back to her assignment Cordelia looked over the readout on her computer screen and asked no one in particular, "Ok, now how do I save it."

Willow answered, "Press "deliver"." Before she left the room.

Cordelia looked at her keyboard then pressed a button that read "del" and her screen immediately went blank.

(Underground Tunnels)

Xander and Buffy were getting close to the vampire lair. They soon found Jesse who was chained to the wall by his ankle. Buffy broke the shackle and they soon were headed back the way they came when Jesse told them it was a trap, which put Buffy more on guard. Their path was soon blocked by vampires and they found their way to a supply closet with an air vent. They were trapped, "We can't fight our way through those things. What're we gonna do?" Xander asked.

I got an idea," Jesse said now in vampire face, "You can die."

Buffy quickly grabbed Jesse and threw him out of the room and with Xander's help managed to get the door shut and locked. They climbed into the air vent and crawled until the found an exit at and old factory escaping into the sunlight. One vampire grabbed Buffy's leg, but Xander grabbed her wrapping his arms around her waist before the vamp could pull her back down. After a brief struggle the vamp let go when it's hand got burned by the sun. Xander and buffy fell back from suddenly having no opposing force to fight against.

(Sunnydale High)

Giles is sitting at the table in the library when the door opens, "Buffy?" He asked.

"Just me," Willow replied walking over with some papers in her hand, "No word? Well I'm sure they're great."

"Did you find anything of interest?" Giles asked changing the subject.

Willow showed him what she had found in old newspaper articles before a big earthquake that talked about a streak of murders. "Well it's starting to come together." Giles said, "I rather wish it weren't."

(The Master's Lair)

Darla was brought before the Master to be prepared as the vessel. Her being the oldest and strongest of the Master's underlings now that Luke was dead. She kissed the Master's hand before drinking some blood from his wrist. "My blood is your blood, my soul is your soul." Said the Master.

"My body is your instrument." Answered Darla finishing her part of the ritual as the Master began drawing a symbol on her forehead.

"On this most hallowed night we are as one. Darla is the vessel. Every soul she takes will feed me and their souls will grant me the strength to free myself."

(Sunnydale High)

Willow looked up when Buffy and Xander entered and they told her about Jesse. "I'm sorry Willow, we were too late and they were waiting for us." Buffy explained.

"Well at least you two are ok."

Xander kicked a file cabinet, denting it, "I don't like vampires. I'm gonna take a stand and say they're not good." Xander went into Giles' office to start carving crosses on the bullet tips for the custom matte black Colt 1911 his great uncle had given him, it was specially built and had a fourteen round magazine instead of the usual seven. He left the door open so he could hear what was said.

Giles told them what he and Willow had discovered so far. That the Master had come to Sunnydale sixty years ago. And that the Spanish who founded the town called it "Boca del infierno", or "the mouth of hell", or simply "hellmouth". The Master had intended to open the hellmouth, but was trapped in a church that sunk into the Earth during an earthquake. They also discovered that the harvest only comes around once per century and would be happening that night. Giles went on to tell them about the vessel and drew a copy of the symbol the vessel would be wearing, a three pointed star. "So I dust anyone with that symbol and no harvest?" Buffy asked.

"Simply put yes." Giles answered.

"Any idea where it's gonna take place?"

"Well there are a number of possibilities."

"There goin to The Bronze." Xander said, done with preparing the bullets, "Come on all those tasty young morsels all over the place."

They all left in a hurry stopping by Buffy's house first for supplies. And then heading for the Bronze as the sun was setting.

(Summers Residence)

"Buffy?" Joyce called as she stepped into Buffy's room, "What's going on, whatever this is it feels bigger than a regular patrol."

"It is mom I need you and Dawn to stay in tonight until I get back. Try not to worry, I have my new watcher with me and Willow and Xander are there for back-up too. I'll be careful I promise, but you know this is something I have to do."

"I know Buffy, just make sure you come home to us. Oh and you need to be a bit more careful, your principal called and said you left campus. I know sometimes you have to leave school, but be sure it's for something that won't keep til after schools out for the day."

"Ok mom I will, and this was an immediate emergency. Willow and Xander's friend, Xadner and I found him, he's been turned, Willow and Xander took it hard, especially Xander."

"Alright tell everyone to be careful, and I wanna see you all after this is over so don't be too late."

Buffy finished changing into clothes she could actually fight in then grabbed a bunch of stakes and left to meet the others after hugging both her mom and sister.

(Nighttime)

(The Bronze)

Buffy met Xander, Giles and Willow outside the club she gave Giles a couple stake and a cross, Willow she gave a stake, a cross, and a squirt gun full of holy water, Xander already had the gun so she gave him a cross that had one end sharpened. There was no bouncer outside and the front door was locked so Buffy sent everyone to the back door while she climbed up to the roof. By the time everyone was in position Darla had already drained on person and was feeding on another, when she finished with that one she tossed the dead body aside, "I feel our master getting stronger. Bring me another!"

One minion grabbed Cordelia from where Jesse was holding her and took her to Darla on the stage. She was about to begin feeding when Buffy crashed through the skylight, landing on the pool table. Upon hearing the glass breaking Giles, Willow, and Xander came silently through the back door and began ushering people to safety. When most of the people were gone the vampires finally took notice and all Hell broke loose. Buffy fought her way quickly to the stage to fight a much more prepared Darla. Xander and Giles were holding the vampires at bay in the middle of the room with their crosses while Willow kept the exit safe with her squirt gun of holy water. Once everyone was out but them and the vamps Xander decided to test out his gun the first vamp he shot he missed the heart but in two more shots the demon turned to dust. "It works!" he shouted as he found another target, even when he didn't hit the heart it still hurt and injured the vampires. Son there were only a few vamps left one had Xander cornered and he was out of bullets Buffy saw it and removed a cymbal from the drum set on stage she threw it and it decapitated the vamp. At the same time Giles staked a vampire before being tackled by another, which Willow doused in holy water before it could bite the librarian.

Buffy focused back on Darla, the vessel. Buffy and Darla circled for a moment and now that there weren't so many vampires around, Buffy could sense that Darla was indeed powerful, a master vampire in her own right. Buffy realized that she truly had caught the female vamp off guard last night to have beaten her so easily. As they fought she noted that while Darla wasn't as strong as Luke she was a more skilled fighter. Finally as she was beginning to tire Buffy tried a distraction, "You know there was one thing you didn't take into account when planning this gathering here."

"Oh, and what's that?" Darla asked.

Buffy picked up a microphone stand and threw through the window letting in the light from the streetlight outside, "Sunrise." Darla turned and instinctively threw her arms up to try and protect her face, "It's is six hours moron." Buffy added swinging her stake at the vamp. Darla realized the trap just in time to dodge the stake by diving through the window and escaping. She turned in time to see Jesse confront Xander.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you buddy." Xander said staking his former friend before the vampire could reply.

"Come on guys, we're all going back to my place. Mom wants to see that we're all ok herself before she'll be able to sleep, and I'm sure Dawn's worried about us too." Buffy said as her friend followed her to the house on Revello Drive.

(Summers Residence)

After seeing that everyone was unhurt Joyce made all the teens a cup of hot cocoa and made herself and Giles a cup of tea. "So you figured out how to kill vampires with bullets? Can I see the gun?" Dawn asked looking at Xander pleadingly from where she was seated on the couch between Xander and Willow.

Xander looked to Joyce who gave a nod, so he ejected the magazine and pulled back the slide to ensure there were no rounds loaded before handing the gun to Dawn, "Yeah I took the bullets and carved crosses in the tips, a shot to the heart makes for a dusted vampire, but even if you don't hurt the heart it still hurts them."

"Cool." Dawn said as she examined the weapon, "Custom modified Colt 1911 made from high carbon steel and a polymer grip instead of wood to make it lighter. Enlarged magazine well, custom high capacity magazine, I'm guessing fourteen rounds plus one in the chamber."

Xander, Giles, and Willow looked at Dawn dumbfounded. Before Joyce explained "Dawn and Hank, her and Buffy's father, used to go shooting at least once a week, she was hooked the first time and has been studying everything she can about guns and ammo since. She's what you might call an expert. When Hank died he left in his will that Dawn inherits his guns when she's old enough. Though your more safe around her with a gun than me with one."

"Yeah, mom's great with a bow, but anything with a trigger she will shoot her foot, true story." Buffy added and everyone laughed quietly, because by this time Dawn had fallen asleep with her head laying on Willow's shoulder.


	3. Witch

**A/N:**

**Witch**

(Daytime)

(Sunnydale High)

"This is madness! What can you have been thinking?" Giles asked turning to look at Buffy while pacing the floor in the library, but not giving her a chance to answer as he continued, "You are the _slayer_, lives _depend_ upon you! I-I make allowances for your youth, but I expect a certain amount of responsibility a-and instead of which you enslave yourself to this…this cult?!"

"You don't like the color?" Buffy asked standing by the library counter wearing a long-sleeved with shirt, short red and yellow cheerleading skirt, and holding a pair of red and yellow pom-poms.

"I don…" Giles stuttered then let out an exasperated sigh and turned to pick up some books before responding, "Do you um…do you ignore everything I say as-as a rule?"

"No, I believe that's your trick." Buffy said before striking a pose with one arm straight out to her side at shoulder level and the other raised straight up over her head, "I told you, I'm trying out for the cheerleading squad!" She said in a peppy voice with her head slightly tilted to one said, playing the "California blonde" stereotype almost perfectly.

Giles was unphased by her peppiness, "You have a sacred birth rite Buffy. You were chosen to destroy vampires, not to…wave pom-poms at people. And as the watcher I forbid it."

"And you'll be stopping me how?" Buffy asked sardonically.

"Well I…by appealing to your common sense, if such a creature exists."

"I'll still have time to fight the forces of evil alright. I just wanna have a life you know be a bit normal for a little while. Besides it's not like cheerleading is gonna be dangerous for me so it won't interfere with slaying in my getting injured either."

Later on in the gym with loud music blaring from the speakers about a dozen girls were stretching and warming up in hopes of making the cheer squad. Xander, Buffy, and Willow walk in, Buffy and Willow are talking about how Giles handled Buffy's news about her trying out. Xander on the other hand was busy watching the various girls, all wearing either short skirts or tight pants/shorts, doing there stretching. Somehow young man managed not to actually drool. As they got to the bleachers Xander handed Buffy a bracelet, "I got you this, for luck."

"What's this?" Buffy asked with a smile as she took the piece of jewelry.

"What's that?" Willow mimicked sharply try to show her feelings of anger and borderline panic on her face. _Damn he's giving her jewelry! So he DOES like her…does she like him back…why can't he see me here wanting him? Okay Willow calm down this is not the right time to panic._ The redhead thought to herself

"Yours…always." Buffy read the engraving out loud.

"It came like that…they all said that." Xander hurried to explain.

Cordelia walked up and had a brief and surprisingly civilized conversation with Willow about one of the girls who was currently warming up. They were interrupted from any further dialog by the girl in charge of organizing the try outs. "Ok let's have…Amber Grove," She read the name off the list of those signed up, "You're up Amber. Good luck. And if you aren't auditioning move of the floor."

Amy, a friend of Willow's walked over and to the group and was introduced to Buffy. Went from talking about how Amber, the girl currently trying out, had trained with a famous cheer coach, to how hard Amy's mom pushed her. Xander along with most of the guys in the gym, as wells as a few of the girls, were mesmerized watching the beautiful young woman going through her routine. Cordelia after watching briefly scoffed and turned her back to Amber's performance until Willow suddenly shouted, "That girl's on fire!"

Cordelia looked at Willow with a look of disbelief, "Oh please, she's not even that good. So enough with the hyperbole thank you."

The audience let out a collective gasp when Amber's hands suddenly burst into flame. Buffy immediately dropped her pom-poms and ran up the bleachers, grabbing a flag emblazoned with the school's mascot and rushed to put out the fire. She tackled Amber to the ground and used the flag to quickly smother the flames. Buffy wrapped the girl in the flag and held her tight telling her she was okay and just trying to keep the burned girl from going into shock.

(Summers' Residence)

That evening after a brief meeting after school to have an initial discussion the gang decided to have the full meeting at Buffy's house. Seeing as Joyce had already invited them all over for dinner.

Giles was talking with Willow and Joyce about books that he had that might be of help in the realms of spontaneous combustion and with Dawn about the ideas she and Xander had brought up about using modern weapons against vampires and demons and what they would need to do to make a bullet that covered the general populous of the evil world. Xander and Buffy were working together to fish off the last of the two roasts that Joyce had cooked, along with a little help from Dawn, Buffy had set the table since she was almost useless around the stove, though handy with the chopping.

"So when it comes to demons, the vast majority are killed by strike to the heart, decapitation, or destroying the brain correct, basically wounds that are fatal to a human are fatal to most demons right?" Dawn asked after they had gone over all they could about the situation with Amber.

"Yes, for the most part, though most demons have some form of natural armor and denser bone and muscle tissue than humans." Giles answered.

"Okay, so we go with large caliber .357 magnum, .44 magnum, .45, .40, next question is full metal jacket, hollow points, or a mixture of both?"

"Probably a mixture of both and with the hollow points we could modify them so that the point, instead of being hollow per se, would actually hold something, like pieces of ironwood. Blessed ironwood!" Dawn shouted her eyes widening in excitement. She explained her excitement, "Okay so here's my idea, we soak pieces of ironwood in holy water, let them reharden and that means they've basically taken on the traits of holy water as far as vamps are concerned right? Well then we only have to work out a way to set those pieces in the bullets!"

The others were silent as they watched Giles, grading the credibility of Dawn's idea off of his reaction. Giles was staring blankly, going over the idea and it's possible practicality in his mind, taking it through several scenarios. He turned his gaze to Dawn and smiled, "You are a bloody brilliant girl you know that? We'll have to build a prototype and test it, but it has a high chance of success in my opinion."

"Nice work Dawnie!" Buffy praised her sister with a smile.

"Hey if you want we can get your father's old bullet press out of storage and set it up in the basement." Joyce said to Dawn before turning to Buffy, "If this works, and we already know crosses carved on the bullets works on the vamps, then you all need to learn how to shoot, I'm guessing you already know Xander, what about you Rupert? Willow?"

"I've fired one of Giles' crossbows when he we did some training this last week, he said I was pretty good for a beginner." Replied the nerdy red head.

"That's true Willow, in fact the crossbow is a decent comparison, it has the same trigger mechanism, however a firearm is going to have what's called kick-back, or kick. As for myself I am a good shot, but could always use a refresher course and we could all use the practice. Now Joyce I recall something about you being good with a bow, do you have one?"

Joyce excused herself to go retrieve her bow from her room. She came back carrying a camoflague pattern compound bow, "This is my baby, it's a PSE Sinister, it has a draw weight of 70 pounds. Dawn, Buffy, and I go hunting as often as we can, but Buffy has also made sure we all have wooden shafted arrows as well."

"How good of a shot are you Mrs. Summers, if you don't mind my asking?" Willow inquired.

Buffy answered for her mother, "Have you heard about the Samurai and their skill with the Yumi bow?"

"Like them she can hit the eye of a human sized target from 75 yards." Dawn added, both girls clearly proud of their mom's skill with a bow.

"I am truly impressed Joyce." Giles said before changing the subject, "Right then I think we've covered a lot of ground tonight and I thank you very much for the delicious meal. Buffy I don't expect that you'll run into much trouble tonight, but just to be safe, Xander could you accompany her on patrol? I am going to head home and see if I can uncover any information about today's incident from my personal books."

Giles left after saying goodnight and Buffy and Xander prepare for patrol.

"Willow, would you like to stay here and wait for them to get back?" asked Joyce.

"Are you sure Mrs. Summers, I don't wanna impose on you seeing as how late it's getting."

"It's perfectly fine dear, you won't be imposing at all."

"Oh mom can I stay up please? I have the day off from school tomorrow, it's one of those weird "the teachers have to work, but students get the day off" kind of things…please?" Dawn asked pleadingly bouncing on her the balls of her feet even deploying the ever deadly "puppy dog" eyes, acting every bit the pre-teen that they often forgot she was.

Joyce looked thoughtful for a moment before answering, "It's okay with me honey, as long as Willow doesn't mind the company."

"Oh of course I don't mind, I'd be happy to hang out with you for a while Dawnie." The normally shy girl said immediately.

Dawn was excited to be hanging out with someone older than her, it didn't hurt that she found herself a little bit attracted to the red head. She knew that's what it was, she'd had "the talk" a while ago after ahe had been asking her mom about her feelings. What she didn't know yet was who she was as a person, that added to the fact of how much older willow was than her is what kept her silent at the moment. She had several years to figure those things out still. Her life was gonna be weird enough going through puberty living in a town over the mouth of Hell further complicating things was what her sisters inherited duty was. _Aw hell, my life is gonna be interesting. My sister's the slayer, we live with our single mom on top of a hellmouth, I'm crazy about guns (not a popular hobby this close to LA, going through puberty and realizing I might be…what? Gay? Maybe bi, cause I think Xander's a cutie too. Oh well, not gonna dwell on it right now. Now is the time to relax Dawn, you're gonna be busy as soon as the bullet press gets set up, plus can't forget about school. And Buffy thinks she's got a tough life._ Dawn thought as she and Willow watched TV and chatted.

"So how long have you had a crush on Xander?" Dawn asked suddenly.

Willow looked surprised then flustered, "I…I…um…"

"Don't be nervous Willow I'm not gonna tell him about it, but I think you should definitely do something about it. I know he claims to be observant, but I've noticed, at least in my limited experience, that some people can't see what should be obvious right in front of them." Dawn said placatingly to the near hyperventilating red head, displaying more of her above average maturity.

A maturity that was quickly replace with a typical pre-teen squeal when the new Backstreet Boys music video started playing. Willow smiled at how quickly Dawn's demeanor could change then turned back to the TV, thinking on what the younger girl had said.

(Sunnydale High)

The next day Buffy, Willow, Xander, and Giles were having a before class meeting to go over what they'd found out, which was upsettingly little. They talked about nthe few rare cases of spontaneous human combustion, but it didn't really help them. Giles got a little too excited about the variety of strange creatures and occurances to study on the Hellmouth they looked at him funny, "Well pardon me for seeing the glass half full." He said.

The group decided to dig up more information on the victim, Amber. "That means hacking illegally into the schools network and digging through personal files. At last something I can do." Willow said excitedly.

"I'll ask around about her too." Xander offered.

"Are you guys sure you wanna be involved, I'm not sure if you're ready for this yet." Buffy said to her new friends, worried for them.

"We're a team though…right? Are we a team?" Xander asked only slightly hurt by Buffy's hesitance, he and Willow could understand her worry.

"Yeah, you're the slayer and we're the slayerettes." Willow added.

"I just don't like putting you guys in danger." Buffy explained.

"Pft, I laugh in the face of danger! Then I hide until it goes away." Xander joked.

"Alright, but be careful. At least until we know more."

Buffy saw Amy in the hall later, staring at a trophy case, she decided to stop and talk with her fellow cheerleader auditionee. Amy told her how her mother was once the cheer captain "Catherine the Great" and how she led her team to win the Tri-County championship, which no one else had ever done.

Willow caught up with them and after a few minutes Amy went of to her next class. Willow told Buffy that she hadn't been able to find anything on Amber, that the burn victim was pretty normal.

At lunch time Xander was talking with Willow about their "case" then asked, "So was she wearing it…I mean was Buffy wearing the bracelet. You know it's almost like we're going out."

"Yeah except for the hugging, and kissing, or her knowing about it." Willow teased.

"I should just ask her out shouldn't I?"

"Won't know til you try."

"You Willow, this is why you're so awesome you're like a guy friend, but you know about girl stuff." Xander said before dashing off to where Buffy and Amy were standing, waiting for the results of the tryouts to be posted.

"So I'm a guy?" Willow asked in a whisper, clearly hurt.

Xander pushed his way through the crowd to see for Buffy and Amy whether they made the squad, "Okay, not only did you both make it, But you Miss Summers, are the first alternate and Amy's the third." Amy ran off before Xander even finished and Buffy chased after her. "What's the problem?" Asked the teen.

"Xander, the alternates are the one who didn't make it. They're like injured reserve." Willow explained.

The brunette boy hung his head, "For I am Xander. King of Cretins, may all lesser cretins bow before me." He said somewhat shamefully.

Giles met with the gang after an incident where Cordelia lost her eyesight and Buffy had to save her from being hit by a truck. He told them that he believed it was a witch that they were dealing with and after all the pieces of their conversations with Amy fit together she became their main suspect. Giles found a spell/potion that, when spilled on a person who had cast a spell recently, turned the casters skin blue. Willow and Buffy worked the spell in their chemistry class, which Amy had with them and their suspicions were heightened when the skin on Amy's arm turned blue.

Unfortunately Amy noticed what they were doing and managed to steal Buffy's bracelet and made her the target of her next spell. Amy arrived home and her mother walked out to greet her Amy tossed her backpack to her mother, "I have homework, do it for me." Then she disappeared upstairs.

(Summers' Residence)

Buffy woke up the next day, excited to be on the squad, excited and happy about life in general really. It majorly freaked Dawn and Joyce out. They could only stare as Buffy danced around the kitchen singing "Macho Man". "Are you ok Buffy?" Joyce asked more than a little worried at her oldest daughter's strange behavior.

"Never better. Momster. Morning Dawneroonie." Said Buffy in a sickeningly chipper voice, "I don't need a ride, I'm gonna jog to school."

"What the hell was that?!" Dawn asked.

"I don't know Dawnie, if I didn't know any better I'd say it was drugs, but I don't think it is." Joyce answered giving Dawn a disapproving look for the soft-core expletive, but choosing not to say anything.

"Guess I better get ready for school too." Dawn spoke again after a couple minutes of silence as she finished her breakfast and her mom sipped a cup of coffee.

(Sunnydale High)

Cheerleading practice did not go very well. Buffy was high in the school spirit department, but lacking in self-control, which became evident when she tossed one of the other girls across the gym. Xander and Willow helped her from the gym and took her directly to Giles. After a bit of studying and identifying Buffy's symptoms they determined that she was under the effects of a bloodstone vengeance spell, which would eventually kill her.

Giles and Buffy went to Amy's house to find the book she used in order to find a spell that would reverse all spells she had cast. Giles told Xander and Willow to keep an eye on Amy. They arrived at Amy's house and saw her mother sitting on the couch eating brownies. Giles started to get angry with her about not keeping Amy's magic use in check when Buffy remembered something Willow said when she saw the brownies…_We used to hang out a lot, we'd sit on her couch and watch movies while we pigged out on brownies_...Buffy interrupted Giles' ranting, "Amy?" She asked looking at Catherine Maddison, "Amy is that you?"

The woman nodded, "She told me that since I was wasting my youth she would put it to good use. The next morning I woke up in her room."

"Where does she keep her spell books." Giles asked, at her hesitation he added, "We can fix everything if you'll just help us and we'll keep you safe from her."

Amy in Catherine's body was suddenly very determined to help right her mother's wrongs and led Giles and Buffy to the attic. By the time they were ready to leave the house Buffy had gotten so weak that Giles had to carry her back out to the car. The trio got back to the school and, with the spell books and ingredients, barricaded themselves in one of the science labs.

Catherine, in Amy's body, sensed when they started the counter spell and took off in the middle of the pep rally. Xander and Willow tried to stop her, but only managed to slow her down. As the Catherine possessed Amy broke through the door and was about to kill the prone Buffy Giles succeeded in the counter spell and Amy now in her own body stood over Buffy's rapidly recovering form with a confused look on her face.

"Hi, I take it your back in your own body Amy, can I borrow that?" Buffy asks as she takes the axe from Amy, now in her own body again.

Catherine screams in rage and uses her magic to throw Buffy against a wall, causing her to lose the axe. Giles manages to catch it before it can hit the ground and after canceling a spell Catherine casts at him he cleanly decapitates her. He is thankful he sent Amy from the room while her mother had been distracted by Buffy, he figured Amy still cared enough for Catherine that seeing this would majorly affect her. He and Buffy quickly place the body and the head in a large duffel bag that Giles had brought from the car. He has Buffy take it and burry it deep in the woods with specific instructions to bury the head and body separately. Giles stays behind to quickly clean the lab. Amy's dad moved back to Sunnydale after leaving the decision up to Amy to stay in the town or move to where he was. The "official" story that Giles and Buffy told Amy and the Scoobies is that Catherine had cast a dangerous spell, meant to destroy organic matter, at Buffy who was able to deflect it using a metal try for holding frog dissecting tools. Giles sent a report to the Council and Buffy went home after her obligations were met.

(Summers Residence)

Buffy told her mom the truth as soon as she sees her in the kitchen and then breaks down in Joyce's arms. Dawn unintentionally overheard their conversation and walks over to them, embracing Buffy from the side. "Don't cry Buffy, she may have been human, but she was evil. She hurt people and tried to kill you. Mr. Giles did the right thing. Did she even give you a choice in what you had to do or did she…force your hand?" Dawn asks trying to find the right words to phrase her question while stroking her crying sister's hair.

Their mother watched silently, hurting for her eldest, and feeling overwhelming pride in the wisdom of her youngest. Buffy chose not to answer, instead pulled her family members tighter to her, though her crying began to subside as Dawn's words sunk in. Buffy went to bed that night with Dawn choosing to sleep with her to try and keep the nightmares at bay. Giles had stopped by earlier and told them that a Council employed psychologist would be available if Buffy felt she needed it and furthermore if any of them ever needed to talk to a professional that understood about the truth of the world. Buffy smiled, she might need to see the doctor one day, but right now her family and friends were enough. She leaned over and kissed the top of her sister's head, "Thanks Dawnie. I don't know what I'd do without you and mom."

"You'd be a mess for sure." Dawn answered smiling and the two drifted off to sleep.

Joyce closed the door silently after watching her girls drift off to dreamland. _You're not the only lucky one Buffy, I have two amazing daughters that, though they don't always get along and tend to get on my nerves constantly, are always there when I need them and always have each other's back. It looks like you're doing an ok job after all Joyce._ Staring out at the sky when she got back to her room she sent out a brief, silent prayer, _Wherever you are Hank, I hope you can see our daughters and are proud of them._

(Other Realm)

"Malek! Send for Hank Summers and see to it that he knows it is not a bad thing."

"Yes My Lady."

A few moments later a tall brunette man walked into the room, "You sent for me Goddess?"

"Yes, I have something to show you. Step up to the viewing pool" Said the indescribable woman.

Hank did as ordered and was shown what had happened in the lives of the family he left behind. He felt the sense of pride pressing firmly against his chest as he saw the woman Buffy was becoming and how Joyce was handling her daughters, as well as the two new surrogate children she now had in Willow and Xander. He couldn't help but feel a bit saddened that Dawn was having to grow up so fast.

Sensing his fears for his youngest daughter the Goddess spoke, "I cannot tell you that she will go through everything unscathed, however she will get through it with them all. Buffy may be the slayer, but her support system, her loved ones, that's the key."


	4. The Pack

**The Pack**

(Sunnydale Zoo)

Buffy wandered around, looking at the various animals now and then she, Xander, and Willow were wandering around and enjoying the time away from actual school work. "Don't think of it as just a field trip," Xander explained, "Focus on the fact that you're not at school."

"You're right," Buffy said, "I never realized how amazing the zoo was."

"That's the spirit!" Willow interjected.

The three friends walked further and saw Sunnydale's top of the food chain bullies, a group consisting of two boys Kyle Dufors, the group's leader, Tor Hauer, and two girls Heidi Barrie, and Rhonda Kelley, teasing a loner kid named Lance. Before the Soobies could intervene on Lance's behalf Principal Flutie stepped in asking if there was a problem. Lance for some reason did not snitch on the four bullies, claiming everything was fine. Kyle and the other four were impressed by Lance and decided to welcome him into their group.

Not trusting Kyle and his friends' intentions, Buffy and the others followed them until the four went into a sealed off hyena enclosure. Buffy and Willow were about to follow with Xander, but he stopped them, claiming it would be better for Lance's self-esteem if Xander helped him alone rather than Xander and two girls, "Besides," He added, "They aren't vampires or demons. Just mean kids the type that are issued to every school along with desks and text books."

Xander goes in and Buffy and Willow were about to follow anyway when they were stopped by the zoo keeper, telling them that the hyenas are in quarantine and that there is a myth that hyenas can learn people's names to lure them away and devour them.

Inside the sealed off exhibit Xander stops Kyle and Tor from throwing Lance into the hyena pen. Xander and the four bullies are compelled to look at the hyena. No one noticed the strange symbol drawn on the floor of the exhibit assuming it to be a generic African tribal painting. The hyenas eyes flashed followed soon after by Kyle, Tor, Heidi, Rhonda, and finally Xander's eyes as well. Lance tripped over a bench in his haste to leave and the five others turned to him and laughed.

(The Bronze)

Later that night Willow and Buffy, along with Dawn who was allowed to come along, having been invited by Willow for a girl's night. They were sitting at a table talking and catching up with one another when the topic switched to Willow's crush on Xander, "You should just go for it Will." Buffy said.

"Agreed," Said Dawn.

Willow not wanting to talk too much about this changed the subject, "What about you and Angel? I mean you are wearing his jacket right now." She asked Buffy.

"Well he is cute, but he's almost never around and when he does show up it's all cryptic warnings and fighting vampires."

Xander shows up as their conversation tapers off. He is acting strange, constantly looking around and watching people. He takes food off Buffy's plate without asking then complains about it then he just randomly sniffs Buffy commenting that she took a bath.

"Yeah Xander, people tend to do that on now and then." Dawn said sarcastically while the three of them just stared at him in confusion.

Soon after that Xander saw Kyle, Tor, Heidi, and Rhonda and decided to join them in teasing a group of awkward teens.

"What's up with him?" Angel asks asked as he walked up to their table.

"I dunno," Willow answered, "He's been acting weird ever since we left the zoo."

"You must be Angel." Dawn said offering her hand to shake, "I'm Buffy's sister Dawn."

Angel instinctively shook her hand and there was a sizzling sound accompanied by the slight smell of burnt flesh as Angel jerked his hand back. He looked at Dawn's right hand and saw she wore a ring with a pattern of crosses stamped on it. Dawn was freaked out and Willow instinctively pushed the younger girl behind her while Buffy reached for a stake. Angel held up his hands to show he did not want to fight. "Okay so as I'm sure you're aware now…yes, I'm a vampire. There's a long story, but I'll give you the short version for now, if you wanna hear it that is…" He trailed of looking at the three girls.

Buffy nodded and Angel began his story, "Well about one hundred years ago I killed the favorite daughter of a gypsy tribe, they cursed me by returning my soul. It's not as fun as it sounds, I remember everyone I've killed as a vampire and with my soul returned I actually care. Since then I've been working for the Powers That Be. Recently I was assigned to help the new slayer."

Dawn walked back around from behind Willow and looked up at the tall vampire. She tilted her head slightly to the side. "I like him, I say we let him live for now, especially if he's supposed to help."

"Alright, I agree for now. Would you be willing to meet us at the high school library tomorrow?" Angel nodded at Buffy's question, "Good I'll let Giles know to be there…and do you think we should bring mom too?"

"Yeah, after Hemery she wants to be informed of what's going on, even if she doesn't like it." Dawn answered as she retook her seat adjusting her jacket.

Angel caught a glimpse of a gun and holster when her jacket shifted. He looked at Buffy with a raised eyebrow. "We have special bullets with pieces of ironwood and Dawn is one Helluva good shot. We're also working on some silver-iron alloy bullets for generic demon killing." Buffy explained.

"Yep, bringing slaying into the twenty-first century." Willow added. We've also discovered, courtesy of Xander, that regular bullets with a cross carved on them work for dusting vamps as well. Are you really comfortable with the whole vampire slaying conversation, I mean you being a vampire and all?"

"I admit it makes me a little nervous, but it's a product of the side of the war I'm fighting on now."

(Sunnydale High Library)

"The council, as well as several covens of witches and groups of demon hunters around the world, have vast records as to the devastation caused by the vampires Angelus, the demon with the face of an angel, and his sire Darla, they soon added his childe Drusilla and later her childe, Spike. They were known as "The Scourge of Europe". However around one hundred years ago Angelus disappeared from this group, he rejoined them for a short time during the Boxer Rebellion in China, but his actions were drastically changed the only records of kills attributed to him then were murderers and rapists. Then he disappears again. Now you say the gypsies used the Ritual of Restoration?" Giles asked Angel after his brief history on Angelus. Angel nodded, "Remarkable." Giles continued, "While the text for the ritual still exists it was written in a code that no one has the translation for any longer."

"Ok Rupert, that's all well and good, but can we trust that what he says is true and be sure that he isn't part of the Master's schemes?" Joyce asked still not trusting of the two century old vampire.

"Well I could try a spell to ascertain the status of his soul. It won't be difficult and I have all the ingredients here. Would you be willing to sit through that Angel? If you're worried it isn't painful."

"Yeah and if your soul isn't as intact as you say, you won't even have to fight Buffy." Dawn said from the other side of the room, checking the magazine of her 9mm Beretta Px4 Storm sub compact.

"Oh Dawn don't tease Angel like that, it's nicer for him if he doesn't know what could be coming. You're just making him nervous." Joyce said adding to the teasing.

"Dawn isn't the only one to watch out for. If I were you I'd try to stay on my mom's good side too. She's like Robin Hood, but with a bow." Buffy said and the others just stared at her strangely and Willow actually did a facepalm.

Giles performed the spell and found Angel's soul to be in the state he claimed it to be.

That Monday Xander and his new group of friends were acting strange, at least Xander was, the other four weren't acting much different, but they all stuck together like a pack. Picking on other kids, including Willow, the only one they seemed to try and avoid pissing off was Buffy. Word got out that the five of them were seen outside the room where the school's mascot Herbert was kept. His cage had been torn open and he had been ripped apart and eaten.

In the library the rest of the gang, minus Joyce and Dawn, were researching what could be wrong with Xander when Buffy and Willow remembered what the zoo keeper had said about the hyena enclosure. Giles soon found a reference to animal trans-possession among tribes in Africa.

Principal Flutie called Kyle, Tor, Heidi, and Rhonda to his office for what happened to Herbert. He was found a short time later, the official report was that he'd been eaten by wild dogs, which had somehow gotten into his office. In the meantime Buffy had confronted Xander and fought him before knocking him out with a desk. She and Giles locked him in the book cage in the library and left Willow, Joyce, and Dawn to watch him while she and Giles went to compare notes with the zoo keeper.

Due to the fact that the people they were dealing with were human Joyce and Dawn had taken a trip to the storage facility and picked up some of Hanks non-lethal equipment. There were rubber bullets for a 9mm handgun, several beanbag shotgun rounds, two working police style tazers. On top of that Giles had a tranquilizer gun. Dawn gave Joyce and Willow each a shotgun with beanbag rounds and a tazer while she loaded her handgun with the rubber bullets and took the tranquilizer gun.

While Buffy and Giles were out the rest of the pack came looking for Xander and broke in through the exterior windows of the library leaving Joyce and the girls with no choice but to run leaving the shotguns and the tranq gun behind. They hid in a classroom, but the hyena people found them. Willow tried to use her tazer, but her hands were shaking enough to throw off her aim. Joyce was unable to fire hers without hitting Dawn, who fired two shots at the pack members coming in the classroom. Each shot hit it's mark and drove Tor and Heidi out of the room with a non-lethal shot to the chest, it hurt, but wouldn't kill them.

At that point Buffy reappeared in the school and used herself as bait to lure the pack to the zoo telling her mom, Willow, and Dawn to meet her there. The trio followed Buffy's order and all climbed into Joyce's Jeep. When Buffy got to the hyena enclosure she saw the zoo keeper sporting some sort of strange face paint and holding a knife to Willow's throat. She was so surprised that she stopped suddenly, causing the pack to crash into her and they all tumbled to the ground in a heap.

The zoo keeper recited an incantation and the pack members' eyes flashed followed by the zoo keeper's. He then raised the knife the kill Willow, Xander saw he was too far away to help and unknowingly grabbed onto a piece of the fleeing hyena spirit, causing him to retain some of it's speed and strength. He rose from the ground and shoved the possessed man away from his best friend, knocking the zoo keeper into the cage with the actual hyenas where he was torn apart.

Back at school the next day Buffy and Willow were relaying events to Xander as he claimed to have no memory of what he did while possessed.

The girls walked off to class and Giles came up to Xander, "I don't remember memory loss as being a side effect of trans-possession." Said the watcher.

"Yeah, but it's bad enough they know what I did. If they think that I don't remember then I'm hoping it'll be easier for them to forget." Replied the teen, "Giles I am worried about one thing. When the zoo keeper performed the ritual and was about to kill Willow, I felt myself reaching for the hyena spirit as it was leaving. I knew I wouldn't make it in time on my own and Buffy was at the bottom of our dog pile. It worked I saved Willow, but I can feel part of the hyena still in me, not enough for it to take control, but I figured I shouldn't try and keep this secret. Is it possible that I only kept enough to retain some heightened traits and instincts, or is it something we need to worry about?"

Giles put his hand on the worried young man's shoulder, "I honestly don't know Xander. The books I have don't say anything about this and I daren't ask the Council, but if you like I am friends with a coven of witches, I could ask them to send an aura reader. She would be the best to ascertain the state of your…selfness."

"I am all for that Giles, thanks. And is it asking too much if we keep this between us for now?"

"Your secrets safe with me my boy, but if all is well we should tell the others. Your new skills would be a great asset, both to you as an individual as well as to our team in the fight."

"Sounds good to me, but lets cross that bridge when we get to it. So on a change of subject…Angel's a vampire, but fights for good because he has a soul?"


	5. Halloween

**A/N:** Yes I know I'm messing with the timeline, but this thing is kinda my idea. I'm just borrowing characters and concepts. By the way readers, I forgot to mention in an earlier note, but I'm writing this as though it happened just yesterday so I don't have to worry about referencing technology or shows that weren't around when Buffy originally aired.

**Halloween**

Xander, Willow, and Buffy found themselves being voluntold by the schools new principal that they would each be chaperoning a group of younger kids on their trick-or-treating trips on Halloween which was in just a few short days. A day that Buffy had planned on relaxing because Giles and Angel had informed them that the forces of darkness took All Hallows Eve as a night off, seeing it a cliché or something like that.

The trio decided to make the most of it though and went shopping for costumes, even inviting Dawn to go with them. They met at a new costume shop called Ethan's Costumes, Xander quickly found the only piece he needed for his costume, which was a plastic assault rifle, since he was going to be wearing a set of fatigues he'd bought at a yard sale when he and Jesse had started playing paintball. Willow was unsure what she wanted to go as, she was stuck between stereotypical ghost costume or a hooker outfit she decided to buy both and have Buffy help her decide later. Buffy meanwhile was wandering around the store until she found the perfect costumes for her and Willow. Dawn was about to give up on finding something really cool and was about to settle for a cowboy costume when she saw it on the back of the rack, when she looked at the price tag she cringed realizing it would wipe out one month's worth of the allowance money she'd been saving up. She was about to put it back on the rack after deciding it was too expensive when the man who owned the store walked up. "Oooh you have good taste Miss…" He said.

"Summers, Dawn Summers." She said shaking the hand the man offered to her.

"Well Miss Summers, my name is Ethan Rayne; yes I'm the owner of this shop. And if you would like to buy that costume I'd be willing to make a deal with you."

"I would like to buy it, it's certainly the coolest costume I've seen here, but it's a little more expensive than what I wanna spend…does it come with a real katana, or one of those plastic toy things?" She asked.

"Well normally it comes with a plastic one, but I'd be willing to trade it out for one of my metal ornamental ones, sadly I can't sell you a real battle ready katana because of your age, but at least it would have a metal blade and would be the proper weight and appearance. On top of that I would give you a twenty-five percent discount on the costume."

"Dawn thought for a moment, looking back at the costume then she turned her attention back to the shop owner, "Mr. Rayne, you've got yourself a deal!" She said with a smile.

"Excellent if you're ready I'll ring up you're purchase over here."

The next evening Willow came over to get ready for the trick-or-treating with Buffy and Dawn. She showed Buffy and Dawn the costumes she had picked out they both applauded her bravery at even considering the hooker costume. Buffy then walked over to her closet and pulled out the pair of costumes she had bought for herself and Willow. Dawn giggled when she saw the costumes then said, "OK, but if you two are gonna wear those costumes just remember Buffy you're shorter and the blonde, remember that when you decide who gets which costume." The younger girl then went off to her own room to change before Xander arrived to meet them.

Soon the young man was there knocking on the door dressed in his army fatigues and carrying his toy assault rifle, along with carrying his Colt 1911 in a holster at his hip. Joyce let Xander in complimenting him on the authenticity of his costume. Dawn was the first to walk downstairs wearing a black polyester/Kevlar full body suit with carbon fiber helmet which had a black mirrored lens plate which completely covered her eyes; her hands were covered by black mesh shooting gloves that her father had given her before he died. She had the katana strapped to her back for authenticity of the costume, she had even had Giles help her etch the red lines on the blade near the tsuba (guard) to match the design on the shoulder of the outfit, the saya (sheath) was solid black and instead of having the typical stingray or shark skin wrapped wood handle the katana's handle was simply wrapped with nylon cord which was then hardened with resin.

"Nice Snake Eyes costume Dawn!" Xander said, "It looks really authentic."

Dawn flipped the visor up, "I know right? I just wish I had a better katana, but this'll do the job I guess."

"I actually have a battle ready prop replica of Snake Eye's katana if you wanna use that instead, you know if only to make the costume even more authentic. I think I hear Buffy and Willow headed down now." Xander said.

"I think you'll appreciate their costumes Xander, if Buffy managed to convince Willow to wear what she picked out." Dawn replied.

Buffy came down the stairs wearing a green halter top that laced up in the front and a reddish-brown wrap skirt held together by a tribal design belt of the same color with blue accents her hair was held back by a headband and to wrap up the costume she wore soft red leather boots and carried a fighting staff with special wrappings. "I am Buffy the Battling Bard of Sunnydale and I am proud to introduce to you all Willow: Warrior Princess!"

At Buffy's introduction of her Willow stepped into view wearing a dark brown leather chemise with a matching roman style battle skirt, her top was accented with bronze plate embellishments and she wore matching upper armbands with bronze accents on both arms on her forearms she wore leather bracers which also had bronze embellishment. On her shoulders she had leather pauldrons to match the rest of the costume, completing Willow's costume were a pair of knee high leather boots with embellishments to match everything else and replacing the weapons that came with the costume were a replica sword and chakram which Buffy owned.

"Wow…you guys look…" Xander struggled to find words.

"You look great both of you." Dawn stepped in for the drooling teen.

"I agree completely." Joyce added, "By the way Dawn I was able to find what you asked for, it was in a secret compartment in one of you fathers trunks. I gave it a quick once over it looked clean and all the pieces are functional." She said handing Dawn her father's service weapon and FN fiveseven.

"Thanks mom it wasn't a huge deal if you couldn't find it in time, but it completes my costume, plus I did kinda make three magazines worth of anti-demon/vampire ammo for it."

"OK," Xander said finding his ability to speak once again, "Are you ladies all ready to go?"

"Yep, let's get this show on the road." Buffy said as the four left the house.

"Bye kids, have a good time and be safe!" Joyce called to them.

They had just enough time to stop in at Xander's house to properly finish off Dawn's costume. "OK if you guys wait out here I'll run in and get the katana real quick."

"What don't want your parents to meet us?" Buffy asked with a smirk.

"No more like I don't to ruin your day by having you meet them."

Xander's comment caused Buffy and Dawn to frown and they looked to Willow for an explanation, "Later." She said quietly so the sisters decided to drop it for now.

They made it to Sunnydale High in time to pick up their groups before heading back out so they could get their trick-or-treating done and get the kids back in time.

Snake Eyes opened his eyes surrounded by strange creatures of various shapes and colors running wildly around him he instinctively drew his katana and slowly studied his surroundings. Off to his right he saw a soldier with an M4 Carbine going through similar motions. Two women came running up to them one wearing strange leather armor and the other carrying some sort of fighting staff. "Xander! Dawn! Are you guys OK?" The soldier looked at her strangely though clearly checking her and the other woman out and Snake Eyes cocked his head to the side curiously. "Dammit you guys have been affected too…OK let's start this way my name is Willow, this is my friend Buffy, the problem is she thinks she's actually the character Gabrielle from the TV show Xena. You believe you are Snake Eyes correct?" She asked gesturing to the ninja, "Just humor me for a moment please." Snake Eyes nodded, "OK now take stock of your body, you're supposed to be six feet two inches tall, but right now you're about five feet tall and a pre-teen girl. And if that doesn't convince you that something strange is going on, concentrate on that tug you're feeling on your mind search it out and listen to that voice, call it your conscience if you will."

1st Lieutenant Jack McMaron stood staring at the strangely dressed women as a bunch of demons chased each other around, they weren't attacking him or hurting other humans so he let them be for now. What she had said may have sounded strange, but it was the only explanation that made sense as he knew he was not asleep. The last thing he remembered was seeing Hank Summers go down after their unit took on a group of Fyarl and Polgara demons. He took out the demon that killed his friend and commanding officer before he too was fatally wounded by a Polgara spike. The names Buffy and Dawn tugged at his memories, but he couldn't place them. For some reason he felt he could trust this Willow girl so he tried concentrating on the pull she mentioned that he felt. The voice that came through was garbled and somewhat urgent, but the gist of the message got through…he should trust Willow and do as she says.

The soldier and ninja briefly glanced at each other and nodded, "We believe you…Willow. My names Jack McMaron by the way and don't worry you don't have to try and convince me about magic and demons, my unit was assigned to deal with the supernatural, yes, the government knows. We aren't as effective as a coven of witches or the slayer, but we're in the fight too. I seem to remember dying though I don't really know why I'm here."

"Well my friend Xander, who's body you're in bought a set of fatigues, which I believe even came with a copy of a set of dog tags, from a yard sale and a toy gun from a costume shop. I think someone did a spell that made people become their costumes; this is Halloween by the way. I'm guessing it was some warlock or witch just trying to cause chaos. I need to get to Giles, he's been training me in magic and he might be able to help figure this out."

Willow got Xander, Buffy, and Dawn inside the Summers' house where they were met by Joyce. "Mrs. Summers, thank God you aren't wearing a costume. OK so there was a spell, people have turned into their costumes so Xander really is a soldier right now, Dawn is Snake Eyes, and Buffy is Gabrielle. The only reason I know what's going on is because of a charm I made for myself that keeps my personality on the surface and is designed for spells like this, but Xena is right near the surface too and she actually understands what's going on as well." As Willow was going through her spiel Cordelia came running up to the door scared wearing a Josie and the Pussycats style costume. Strangely she knew who she actually was unlike most other people.

Joyce suddenly had a thought, "Cordelia, where did you buy your costume?"

"Oh, hi Mrs. Summers, I got it at the shop in the mall." Replied the cheerleader.

"We all got ours at that new shop…Ethan's or something like that." Willow said realizing the train of thought that Joyce was on, "OK, Buffy, I mean Gabrielle, you and Xander…Lieutenant Jack, stay here and so that you can help round up the kids when we break the spell. Dawn…Dammit, I mean Snake Eyes you come with me; we have a warlock to visit. Oh and Mrs. Summers…um could you explain things to Cordelia…she isn't part of our "in the know" group, but if she doesn't believe after tonight then she never will."

Willow and Snake Eyes arrived at the shop along with Giles who Willow called from the Summers' house. "Giles! Good you made it. This is Dawn/Snake Eyes and this is the shop where we bought our costumes, by the way that charm you had me make worked."

"Good to here, right well, we'd best get on with it and get everyone back to normal." Replied the Brit.

Once inside the shop they made their way to the back room where they saw an altar set up to the god Janus. The shop owner stepped out and greeted them, "Ethan Rayne, I should have known it was you." Said Giles.

"Hello Ripper. It's been a long time." Replied Ethan.

"Not nearly long enough."

For the next few minutes Willow/Xena and Dawn/Snake Eyes watched as Giles, the somewhat soft spoken, stuffy, British librarian beat the Hell out of the man responsible for the spell that had turned them into their costumes. Until the man finally cracked, "Break the bust of Janus…it will break the spell." He managed to say.

Giles picked up the statuette and smashed it on the ground. Willow felt the strength of Xena's spirit weaken, but some of its essence still lingered. Dawn was a bit confused as to how she got where she was, Willow was able to calm her down quickly and they soon met back up with Xander, Buffy, and Cordelia to take the children back to the high school.

Later on the gang met at the Summers' house once again. Everyone had quickly changed out of their costumes and were settled in the living room with a few pizzas which Joyce had ordered along with a couple orders of hot wings. Dawn had been quite freaked out and had been clinging to Willow since they'd broken the spell. The others had nowhere near the memories of pain that Dawn had gotten from Snake Eyes; she remembered the death of his sensei/father figure and the memories of the painful and disfiguring helicopter explosion. Those memories combined with those of the various people that Snake Eyes had killed throughout his years of service and the horrors he had seen in battle were all wading their way through Dawn's mind as she sat curled up on the couch between her mother and Willow and clung to Willow's arm while her Joyce and the witch in training tried to console her.

"Mrs. Summers…did you know a Lieutenant Jack McMaron?" Xander asked after a while.

"Um…yes Xander, he served under my husband…how do you know him?" Joyce answered asking her own question.

"He was the soldier that possessed me or whatever; he remembered dying soon after avenging your husband's death. I kinda know a little bit of who your husband was, at least through the eyes of his friends and subordinates. I wish I'd actually gotten the chance to know him myself. What I meant to say before I got swept up in some Willow-like babble is that the demon that killed Hank was killed…I thought you should know that."

"Thank you Xander it's good to know, it was something I wondered about sometimes and I'm glad you told us. Hank would've liked you and Willow and Rupert. You're all amazing people and I feel honored to count you all among my friends and family." Joyce answered smiling at Xander and the others with tears in her eyes.

Buffy put her arm around Xander and Giles who were sitting with her on the other couch. "Looks like Dawn finally got to sleep. Do you want me to take her upstairs?"

"I would say yes, but I don't think we'll be able to pry her off Willow's arm. So Willow, would you mind staying the night since I don't think Dawn's gonna let you leave anyway?" Joyce replied.

"I have no problem with that Mrs. Summers. Plus I honestly don't wanna go home tonight anyway." The redhead answered.

"Xander, Rupert, I'd offer both of you a place to stay, but I'm afraid I've run out of beds." Joyce continued after Willow's answer.

"That's alright Mrs. Summers; to be honest I prefer my own bed anyway." Xander assured her.

"Yes, I quite agree with Xander's sentiment on that matter. I suppose it's about time to be leaving anyway. Thank you for the refreshments Joyce. Xander would you like a ride home?" Giles asked, Xander nodded and Buffy walked them to the door while Joyce helped Willow maneuver the still sleeping Dawn upstairs.

Dawn woke up when Joyce was tucking her and Willow into bed, "Been a while since anyone tucked me in." Willow joked.

"Everyone likes to feel like a kid now and then," Joyce said.

"Huh…What's goin on? Willow what're you doing here?" Asked a groggy Dawn.

"Well Dawnie you fell asleep clinging to Willow's arm so I went ahead and asked her to stay the night." Joyce answered.

"Oh…sorry bout that Will…" Dawn started to apologize as a blush worked its way across her cheeks.

"Hey don't worry about it. From what Xander told us about the Snake Eyes character, I'd be scared by the memories too. I guess you could call this nightmare prevention…taking a proactive stand against potential nightmares. I know I'd most likely have some bad dreams if I had those memories. So the Xena side of me will fight off the memories you picked up tonight Dawn." Willow interrupted Dawn's apology.

"Yeah," Dawn added, "At least the bad memories come with awesome fighting skills so there's some trade off."

"That's my girl, always looking on the bright side. Dawn, were you asleep when Xander told us about the memories from the soldier that possessed him?" Dawn nodded, "Well it was the soldier who was your father's second in command, and he was there when your father died and he died that day as well, but not before he saw dead the demon that killed Hank. I wanted to let you know before you went back to sleep. Goodnight sweetie and goodnight Willow."

Joyce left the room and was met by Buffy in the hallway, "You know, this could make for an interesting morning, if I'm right Dawn has a bit of a crush on Willow. Tonight she was too tired to truly realize it but I know from experience that Dawn has wandering hands when she sleeps, so we may have to deal with a very embarrassed eleven year old in the morning." Buffy said.

"Oh dear, I completely forgot about that. And your right Dawn definitely has a crush on Willow, but from what I've seen she's crushing on Xander too, and maybe even on Angel a little." Joyce replied with a smirk.

"Angel? Really? The vampire Angel? Ugh." Buffy shuddered slightly disgusted at the thought. "Don't get me wrong he's definitely handsome and with his curse he's even somewhat sweet, but I just can't get past the whole living corpse thing. Plus the fact that he's like two hundred forty some years old."

The next morning Willow woke up to feel a smaller body curled up beside her and a strange sensation in her chest. It felt good and made the rest of her body tingle she let out a low moan before remembering where she was and who was lying with her. The redhead opened her eyes to see one of Dawn's hands groping and massaging her breast. "Dawn, hands, hands!" She managed to squeak out, her mouth dry.

Dawn slowly opened her eyes, "Morning Will." She said before freezing when she saw where her hand was, her face instantly turning a deep crimson color. The pre-teen quickly pulled her hand away as if her fingers had been burned, "Sorry Willow, guess they forgot to tell you I get kinda gropey when I'm sleeping." She apologized almost in tears from embarrassment.

"It's OK Dawn, no harm done. It was definitely a different way to wake up though." She said with a smile trying to lighten the young girl's mood as she slowly get up from the bed and stretched. "I'm kinda hungry, should we go see what's for breakfast?"

Willow and Dawn made their way downstairs and found Joyce and Buffy already up and in the kitchen with a fresh pot of coffee that had just finished brewing. "Good morning girls." Joyce greeted them.

Buffy followed up by asking with a purely evil grin, "Hey Dawn, did you make it to second base?" This caused Dawn to blush again and run back up to her room.

"Buffy Anne Summers! That was uncalled for!" Joyce chastised angrily giving Buffy a look that would make a vampire tremble. "You better go fix this…NOW!" Buffy's mom then turned her attention to Willow, "Would you like something for breakfast dear?"

Buffy walked up the stairs solemnly, knowing she had crossed a line as soon as the words had left her mouth. She got to Dawn's door which was partially closed she slowly pushed it further open and saw her younger sister laying with her face buried in her pillow, Dawn was not actually crying, just trying to hide her red face. "Dawnie, can I come in?" Buffy asked softly.

Dawn shrugged her shoulders, "I don't care…do what you want."

Buffy walked in and sat on the edge of Dawn's bed tentatively reaching and placing her hand on Dawn's shoulder, "I'm really sorry I embarrassed you a minute ago. Though I have to ask you only got this upset cause Willow heard what I said huh? If she hadn't been there you wouldn't have been as embarrassed as you are now?"

"Yeah it wouldn't have been so bad if it were just you, me, and mom. You've probably figured out I've got a bit of a crush on her huh? Though she's kinda got blinders on for anyone who isn't Xander, I actually hope can make him see, they'd be cute together. It was still totally embarrassing though."

"Yeah, I'm sorry again and yes mom and I both noticed your…attraction to Willow and Xander for that matter. I'm surprised at how OK you are with the idea of your two crushes being together, though I agree they'd make a great couple. Maybe Xander could use a little nudge in the right direction."

"Yeah I've got a bit of a crush on both Xander and Willow, but they're both like five years older than me. Plus there's this girl in my class that…well I don't know , but I really like her, as more than just friends, but I don't know how she sees me and I don't wanna risk finding out just yet."

"Well Dawnie don't worry about it too much right now, I know you hate when we remind you, but you're only eleven and there's a lot going on in your life right now, maybe just let your friendship with this girl grow for now and maybe you can try for something deeper with her later on. Anyway I think mom was getting ready to make breakfast, let's go back downstairs OK? And I promise I won't tease you anymore until Willow goes home."


	6. The Master

**The Master**

A few weeks after the Halloween incident Buffy and Dawn were training in the back yard when for what seemed like the hundredth time Dawn feel on her ass, not from Buffy knocking her down, but from her own failure at performing a not-that-difficult move. "Dammit!" She shouted, "Why can't I get it?!"

"Don't worry Dawnie, you'll figure it out with practice." Buffy said as she handed her sister a bottle of water before sitting next to her on the ground.

"I know, it's just frustrating. I mean I have memories from Snake-Eyes of skills that would give you a run for your money."

"Hey, it's not like you'll never get to do that stuff. You have an athletic build, you just have to get past the awkward, clumsy, pre-teen stage like everyone else in the world. What do ya say we call it a night and go see if mom's got supper ready? Then later maybe the three of us can have an ice cream and movie night before I have to go patrol."

"Sounds good to me." Dawn said as she stood up, "Race you inside!" She added taking off for the door before Buffy had a chance to stand up again.

"So not fair!" Buffy complained once they were both inside.

"Well you have slayer speed, I have to find the advantage somewhere. Plus I still barely beat you to the door." Dawn said rejecting her sister's complaint.

Joyce shook her head laughing at her daughters, "Girls, go wash up! Dinner's almost ready."

The following Monday the gang was gathered at the library before school trying to decide what was the best course of action against the Master. "Angel, do you know anything about their numbers? Are they still trying to regroup since The Harvest?" Buffy asked.

After a moment of thought Angel answered, "He has probably about twenty loyal followers at the moment. We took out a lot during the last fight and the important thing is that even though we didn't dust her Darla left town, though we'll probly have to worry about her later on. She was the strongest he had so for now she's out of the picture. I think now would be the best time to strike, for one they would never expect an assault in the first place and on top of that they would only expect the slayer, a watcher, and maybe me, not a team of six."

"I think you mean seven Angel. Don't say anything," Dawn said interrupting both Buffy and Joyce who were about to argue that she could not go with them, "Before you try and tell me I can't come along let's go over what we know. Angel, is it likely that the Master knows that Buffy has a family?"

"Yes."

"Is he above using other demons when he needs to do something in an occupied house?"

"No, he's not."

"Okay this one's for everyone, do other demons need an invitation to enter a house?"

"Oh, I know this one, no." Willow answered excitedly before realizing she had been a little overzealous.

"So I would be no safer staying home alone than if I were with you guys. So let's make a plan, please?" She asked with a pout that made everyone aside from Buffy and Joyce cave instantly.

All eyes were on Joyce and Buffy to decide whether Dawn went with them when they attacked.

"Alright, but if you go with us you follow whatever orders you're given and if you're told to run you don't hesitate, understand?" Joyce asked, her eyes hard and serious, scaring everyone in the room.

"Yes ma'am." Dawn answered quickly.

About an hour later their plans were set, they were going to attack at noon on that Wednesday and they would move in three teams. Dawn and Willow would guard one exit while Joyce and Giles guarded the other. Xander, Angel, and Buffy would be the main assault team. So when the day came they all had their excuses lined up for missing school, which was hard for Willow, the girl who had never missed a day even when she was sick, but eventually they were able to convince her that saving the world was a bit more important than being valedictorian.

They met at Buffy's house and began gearing up. Dawn gave handguns to Giles, Xander, and Buffy. While Joyce and Willow were given shotguns, Angel opted to not use a firearm. "OK guys, so it'll be just like when we were doing target practice with the clay pigeons and the normal rounds. After Dawn, Giles, and I did a bunch of testing we were able to use the right amount of science and magic to make the wooden bullets work. The science was getting them to fit the casings while the magic was to make the wood dense enough that it didn't shatter when the gun powder went off and would be able to fire at the ranges we need them to, like regular bullets." Willow explained.

"It was really Giles and Willow that did most of the figuring while Xander and I put the bullets together. Oh and the shotguns are loaded with a mixture of shells filled with wooden flechette and blessed rock salt." Dawn added.

They all strapped on their gear Dawn had decided to wear the Snake eyes costume from Halloween, so she had her FN-fiveseven and the katana Xander had given her along with five stakes placed in a specially made belt. Xander wore the fatigues from his costume and chose to take the only assault rifle they had at the moment which happened to be Hank's old M4 carbine, the teen opted to take the bayonet as well, Giles handed him a short sword, which he and Willow had been training with and half a dozen stakes. Joyce picked up her bow along with several stakes and Willow was dressed in normal gym clothes but had the sword from her costume and even thought about carrying the chakram, but ultimately decided against it, she too was given an allotment of stakes to carry. Buffy, Giles, and Angel each had a sword, a battle axe, and several stakes. As they were going out the door Buffy grabbed a wooden staff that had been carved to a point at both ends.

One the two smaller teams were set up in their positions Buffy, Angel, and Giles continued on to the master vampire's lair. To their chagrin the Master and all twenty six of his minions were there, in some sort of meeting or planning session. "Alright now we know the slayer has family, I want two teams to begin following the mother and two teams following the sister. The first chance you get I want you to capture the sister and turn her. Then we use her to kidnap the mother and lure the slayer down here where I kill her by draining the blood from her body. Thereby giving me the strength to finally break out of this prison."

"How about we trash that plan and instead you let me treat you to a much needed spa day, you could obviously use a facial…do you even moisturize?" Buffy taunted as the three warriors stepped into the room.

"Bring me the slayer and kill the other two!" The Master bellowed.

Xander opened fire quickly dusting four vamps before Angel jumped into his line of fire. Buffy had also started with her firearm taking out three vamps with her Beretta and blinding another before the gun was knocked out of her hand. She backhanded the vampire that had disarmed her and pulled out a stake dusting the unprepared opponent. Angel had his "game face" on and was dancing through the vamps striking with his sword left and right, not necessarily trying to kill his enemies at each strike, but at least wounding them so he and his friends had an easier time at their task. A few cowardly vamps made for one of the exits, but were met by Willow and Dawn who made quick work of the five blood suckers.

The Master was infuriated by what was happening before him, appalled that the slayer and her allies had found a way to use modern weapons against them. He let out an enraged roar as he to waded into the battle throwing Xander into the wall. Joyce had become agitated at standing on the sidelines and readied her bow when she saw Xander tossed to the side she took aim at the ancient vampire and let her arrow fly. Lucky for the Master he heard it coming in time to try and dodge, he wasn't quick enough however and the arrow lodged in his shoulder. Angel swung his sword trying to finish him off but his grand-sire was much too quick and dodged the strike coming around Angel and breaking his neck, not killing the souled vampire, but effectively taking him out of the fight.

Buffy having seen everything quickly finished off the last three minions with her staff before turning her attention to the Master. As she was about to attack she made the mistake of looking into his eyes. The Master, being as old and powerful as he was, was able to use the thrall on her. Normally he would gloat at a time like this, but before any of the others could move he bit into Buffy's neck taking her blood and empowering himself. Once he had enough he let the slayer fall face first into a pool of water as Giles, Joyce, Willow, and Dawn came running toward him.

Giles got there first and was caught by the powerful vampire and thrown into the charging Willow and Joyce knocking them all unconscious. Dawn quickly took in the situation and felt a strange calm come over her. She holstered her now empty gun as she flipped down the visor on her mask, then drew her katana. The master was intrigued by the actions of the child, but was not overly cocky, picking up Angel's discarded sword. Xander was slowly sitting up but not quickly enough to be of help to Dawn, "Xander! Check on Buffy!" The young brunette ordered.

"You think you can best me? You nothing but a petulant child!" The Master taunted.

Dawn let the words flow past her, focused solely on the fight ahead, she knew she was outmatched in terms of speed and strength and that her body could not do all the acrobatic moves that were in Snake Eye's memories. However she knew she could use his ability to read body language and could perform all the sword forms that he knew. She was confident, but cautious.

They circled each other briefly before the Master surged forward with an over hand strike, bring his weapon down quickly and with a lot of force. Dawn brought her blade up to block as she moved to the side with her katana raised above her head not quite parallel with her shoulders, so that instead of simply blocking the attack it would be deflected away from her down her blade. The Master was not expecting that much skill from a young girl and was temporarily unbalanced. Dawn tried to capitalize and attacked, but her opponent recovered quickly and she only managed to cut across his eye instead of taking his head. They went back to their fight immediately and Dawn knew the fight was dependent on her stamina which was much less than any vampire's. So she tried to save her energy and wait for an opening.

Her chance came when Xander, who had pulled Buffy's unmoving body out of the water, managed to revive the slayer with CPR. Buffy's coughing distracted the Master and allowed Dawn the opening to remove his head. Turning him to dust. However instead of just a pile of dust he left behind an actual skeleton. Dawn ignored the remains and rushed to check and make sure her mother was OK.

Giles, Willow, and Joyce luckily were uninjured and recovered quickly. Xander had a bump on his head and they decided to take him to the hospital just in case. Giles had to re-align Angel's neck so he could heal and Buffy was a little freaked from having been technically dead for a short time and was clinging to Joyce. Dawn was the only one who hadn't been injured in any way. The group left the cave with Angel carrying the Master's skeleton to be burned later.


	7. School Hard

**School Hard**

Buffy and Dawn came home to 1630 Revello Drive after having spent the summer visiting their aunt in New York. Most of their time was spent shopping, but they managed to sneak in a bit of sight-seeing. Buffy had been to their aunt's several times, but it was Dawn's first visit to the Big Apple. When they had first arrived she did the typical tourist thing, trying to make plans to see everything in the first day. Not long after dinner-time that day Buffy had had to carry her exhausted pre-teen sister back to their aunt's apartment after putting in a full day and managing to visit Central Park, the Empire State Building, and Coney Island, before returning to Central Park to enjoy their supper of sandwiches from a local mom and pop restaurant.

After exhausting herself the first day Dawn eased up a bit, realizing that she would never see everything New York had to offer in just one day. So the rest of their visit was a bit calmer and in truth more fun for all involved. They visited a few more sites and did a lot of shopping. On the last day Dawn insisted on seeing visiting the Statue of Liberty before they left for Sunnydale. Buffy and Dawn found themselves standing side by side on a high up observation deck on Lady Liberty, looking out on the other tourists and the city, "Look at all these people Dawnie. They are all busy with something, so many people all moving through their day, barely acknowledging one another's existence and totally oblivious to the true evils of this world." Buffy said dryly.

Dawn gently touched her sister's shoulder, "Didn't you tell me that that is the reason we fight those evils? To let the rest of the world go on being oblivious and enjoy their lives the way they want to live. I know you don't like to talk about what happened to you when we fought the Master, but you know I love you right? And that I'll listen if you wanna talk. And I realize it might be something you don't wanna talk to your annoying little sister about, but you could always talk to mom. I know you guys think I'm oblivious to what goes on just because I'm 12, but I notice things, especially with people I care about. I'm a little worried about you Buffy." She said, looking up at Buffy with a sincere, but not pitying look on her face.

"Thanks Dawn," Buffy said wrapping her arm around her little sister's shoulders and giving her a reassuring hug, "I'll be OK, I've been getting better every day, coming here and seeing how excited you've been exploring the city has actually helped me a lot. I won't lie and say I'm over what happened, but I know that when I'm ready to talk I've got a watcher who goes above and beyond his calling, two great friends in Xander and Willow, a wonderful mother who fights hard every day in the same world as these people," She gestures at the city across the harbor, "And then is ready and willing to fight a whole other war with me after her full day of work, and on top of that I have this annoying little sister who is one of the most extraordinary people I have ever had the honor of calling my family and my friend."

Buffy's words brought a smile to Dawn's face and tears to her eyes as she wrapped her arms around the slayer's torso and hugged her tightly, "Well Buffy, I've really liked spending time in New York with you and Aunt Leila, but I think I'm definitely ready to go home. I've really missed mom and my friend Janice, and of course I missed Xander, Willow, and Giles too, heck I even missed Angel a little."

After a few more minutes they watched the sun set over the New York city skyline, "Come on Dawnie," Buffy said softly to the pre-teen who had almost fallen asleep standing up, "We've had a busy day today and we gotta be up early for our flight tomorrow, so whattaya see we head back to Aunt Leila's apartment and get some sleep?"

Buffy saw Xander face off against the vamp that had attacked him and Willow. He was obviously still working out, but he seemed to be a bit rusty on his training as the vamp got past him quickly. Buffy jumped in and landed a few punches on the demon before throwing him at a tree where he was dusted by a broken branch. "Hey Buffy. Welcome back to the 'Dale." Xander said from his position on the ground where the vamp had knocked him down.

"Yeah," Willow added, "When'd you get back?"

"Hey guys, good to be back. Mom picked us up at the airport around noon time. Xander, you know if you were to keep up with your training you coulda handled that vamp on your own. And Wills, hasn't Giles been training you too? Together you guys shouldn't have even broken a sweat against him."

"Well I will admit I've slacked off a little in the training department, but I've kept up my weight training and running." Xander said sheepishly.

"I kinda slacked off in both areas…not completely, but a little. We've been able to handle the new-risers, but we've avoided taking on any of the more experienced vamps on our own, per Giles' advice." Willow admitted.

"Well at least you guys have been working out and being smart about patrols, but you should commit to training _and_ working out. Cause you won't have me to deal with if you get hurt, I'll tell my mom and Dawn why you keep having to be bandaged up…" Buffy trailed off letting her threat linger in the air.

Both Willow and Xander went wide-eyed, "But Buffy we thought we were your friends." Xander pleaded.

"You wouldn't really do that to us would ya?" Willow asked trying her puppy dog eyes on the slayer.

"Wills, yer cute with the puppy dog eyes and all, but you got nothing on Dawnie. So don't even try. Now come on guys, let's hit up The Bronze!" Buffy said with a smile stepping between her friends and wrapping an arm around each of them.

The trio hung out at The Bronze for a while dancing and catching up on one another's lives. Buffy left earlier than normal, wanting to spend some time with her mom, who hadn't seen her in three months. Xander and Willow decided to head home as well and left with Buffy. Xander was the first to leave the group as his house was near The Bronze, just across the invisible border that marked the start of the bad part of town. After saying goodnight their Xander-shaped friend Buffy and Willow set off toward Willow's neighborhood.

The two girls fell into a silence as they walked, Buffy was thinking through several things, especially what she felt when the Master was draining her. Many thoughts had run through her head, but the one that had stuck with her after Xander had revived her was that she wanted to see Willow again. She had felt sad as she felt the life leeching from her body, sadness for her sister who would have to grow up alone, sad that her mother would have to bury one of her daughters, something no parent should face, but even with that her most pervasive thought was wanting to see her red haired friend again. It was a thought and feeling she did not even realize she had.

Buffy was surprised when she found out she felt that way, not that she had a problem with homosexuality, or that she denied the possibility she might be gay. It was the power behind the emotion that surprised her. She had tried to find something to compare it to, but even the love she had for her mother and sister couldn't come close. So Buffy found herself contemplating these feelings once more as she walked alongside the very person that invaded her thoughts.

Willow had been crushing on Xander as long as she could remember, but ever since the Summers women had moved to Sunnydale and she had learned that the things that went bump in the night really did go bump in the night, she had become friends with these three women and the librarian/slash watcher Giles. The training and friendship she got from them had helped her boost her confidence. She also realized that the love she felt for Xander truly was no more than that of a close friendship. She had been able to move on, had even talked to him about it one night earlier that summer. The realization that she had misinterpreted her love for Xander made her wary about how she now felt toward her friend, Buffy Summers, Vampire Slayer.

Her thought at the moment were similar yet unique to her from what Buffy was thinking. Every now and then one of them would notice the silence and start a short lived topic about something or other, then they'd fall back into a not awkward silence. Willow looked up when Buffy stopped suddenly and saw that they were standing in front of her house. "Oh…well, I guess this is me…I'll see you at school tomorrow Buffy. Thanks for walking me home."

"No problem." Buffy replied as she gave her friend a quick hug and said goodnight.

Both felt a tingling sensation rush through their bodies at the brief contact. However both girls were oblivious that the other felt anything. The slayer and the trainee witch parted reluctantly, Buffy waiting until Willow closed the door behind her before she continued on home. When Buffy got home she saw her mom sitting on the couch watching TV. Dawn was curled up next to her with her head resting on their mother's lap. Buffy gave her mom a smile, Hi, hope I didn't keep you up too late waiting for me."

"No, it's only ten. I think Dawn might have a little trouble adjusting to the jet lag. So how was your time with Willow and Xander?" Joyce asked.

"It was really good to see them, they musta known I was comin back to day. Their welcome home present to me was a vamp." Buffy said with a chuckle as she gently picked up her sleeping sister to carry her to her bed.

Joyce followed and when they'd tucked Dawn in for the night they went back down to the kitchen where Joyce made them both a cup of hot cocoa. The eldest Summers was glad to have her daughters home, but was also glad that they'd enjoyed their vacation, "You know Buffy, I think I might go with you next year…it's been a while since I saw my sister, or maybe I'll go and the two of you can stay here."

"She'd like that I'm sure, and I'm sure Dawn would insist on going too, I think she's hooked on the big city now. More so than I was addicted to LA life." Buffy stated then after a brief silence, "Mom…how do you know you love someone?"

Joyce was briefly stunned, not expecting this turn in the conversation, then she smiled at her oldest daughter, "Well for me with your father when we first met I was attracted to him, but it wasn't exactly love at first sight. I felt something g for sure, but it was more lust at first. Then we started hanging out more and more and we built a friendship first, then one day I realized that I was thinking about him every other thought, even when I daydreamed about my future he was there." Joyce finished with a distant look on her face.

"I miss him to mom." Buffy said wrapping her arms around her mother.

"I know Buffy. So this question you asked, are you gonna tell me about this mystery man or are you gonna claim "hypothetical question" until you sort things out yourself? Wait it's not a vampire is it? Cause that would just be too ironic and something from a cheesy romance novel."

"No don't worry not a vampire…" Buffy paused, "Mom, have you ever been in love with another woman?" Joyce's face went blank and she fainted. "Well that coulda been worse I guess." Buffy mumbled as she carried her unconscious mother to her room before going to her own bedroom for the night.

The next morning Buffy found her mother in the kitchen and was nervous about seeing her. Joyce seemed to sense her daughter's presence and called Buffy to sit next to her at the island in the kitchen. "First of all I have to say sorry I fainted on you there, it was quite embarrassing and I want you to know I didn't faint because you asked if I'd ever been in love with a woman. I was just so tense cause I was worried that you were gonna tell me you were in love with Angel or something like that!"

"Oh! God no! I mean I'm sure he's a nice guy…with the soul and all, but he's still a corpse. I'd definitely stake him or at least send him outta town if I ever thought like that. Where's Dawn?" Buffy asked, not wanting her little sis to hear all about her love life, or potential love life.

"She's taking a shower I think. So is this girl you're interested local, from New York, or did you meet her on the plane?"

Buffy paused wondering how much she wanted to tell her mom. Finally she shrugged inwardly thinking that her mom would find out soon enough anyway, "She's local…I go to school with her."

"Is she kinda shy with red hair?" Joyce asked with a smirk.

"You knew!" Buffy shouted accusingly.

"Knew what?" Dawn asked as she walked into the kitchen to get herself a bowl of cereal.

"Tell ya later Dawnie." Buffy covered quickly.

Later that night the Summers women found themselves at the first day "barbeque/family night" hosted by the teaching staff of Sunnydale Middle School. Dawn was having as much fun as could be expected, at least Buffy and her mom had managed to avoid embarrassing her in front of her classmates, "You know mom we didn't have to come to this thing."

"Oh, I thought you wanted to be here…" Joyce replied with a slight frown.

"Not really, I mean it's nice of the teachers to do, but I've already got friends and I know everyone in my classes. And you've met my friends and their families and know that they're all good…and human. I honestly woulda rather hung out at home tonight just the three of us, or maybe with Xander, Willow, and Giles since I haven't seen them yet."

"Well if you wanna go then let Buffy know we're leaving, we can call the others on the way home." Joyce gave her daughter a soft smile.

Dawn started walking over to where Buffy was talking to Janice's older brother. Suddenly the front window shattered and vamps started pouring in. "I jus love crashin a party." Said the leader a vamp with platinum blond hair wearing leather trench coat.

The pack of blood suckers began advancing on the partiers and Buffy threw one of the buffet tables at them, tripping several up. The students, staff, and families scattered down the various halls to get away from the disfigured intruders. Buffy, Dawn and Joyce ended up in a storage room with Janice and the school's principal and a couple other adults. While Joyce and Buffy were arguing with the principal Dawn took the initiative, "Hey! Will you all quit bickering like a bunch of pre-teens? I texted Giles, Angel, Xander, and Willow."

"Good thinking Dawn. See mom, I told you there was a reason we kept her around." Buffy said with a smile while gently punching Dawn's shoulder.

Buffy and Joyce turned back to talk to the other parentals present after telling Dawn to let them know when the other Scoobies arrived. Dawn meanwhile turned her attention to her friend Janice who was huddled in the corner, where the youngest Summers knelt next to her the other twelve year old. Once Janice felt the comforting hand on the shoulder the immediately leaned against the other girl's body and Dawn instinctively wrapped her arms around her friend. Guessing at what was bothering her friend Dawn whispered in Janice's ear, "Don't worry Jan, I'm sure your family is fine." This seemed to have little real effect on the scared girl so Dawn stayed there with her arms wrapped around her, rocking gently and repeating comforting words in her friend's ear.

Xander, Giles, and Willow arrived and help usher people out of the building and to safety while Angel and Buffy provided the distraction. The slayer had taken out half a dozen bottom-of –the-barrel vamps when she came across the bleached wonder once again. "So short stack, you itchin to be slayer number three on my belt?"

"You know, if I took every vampire seriously who ever claimed to have killed a slayer, then our line would be wiped out by now. If it's all the same to you I'd rather skip the witty banter this time and just got on with the fisticuffs. Cause I've had a long day and wanna get home so I can relax."

"Fine…if you wanna end your life on a dull note then I aint gonna try an stop ya."

Slayer and Vampire clashed in the darkened halls of the school. The slayer had the upper hand as far as strength and speed were concerned, but the vampire had experience, knowledge, and cockiness on his side making them rather evenly matched. They traded blows back and forth for a short time neither of them landing any truly good blows.

After a few more minutes the peroxided wonder got a feel for how his opponent moved and fought. He knocked her to the ground and ripped a piece of a 2x4 out of the wall and was about to make the death blow on the stunned slayer. "Well it's been a fun lil dance pet, but I hear the curtain call."

Angel ran into the hall they were in just as the vamp cocked back his arm to strike, "Spike? No! Buffy!" He roared as he placed himself between Spike and the slayer, the 2x4 piercing his heart before anything could be done to stop it.

"Bummer for you Angelus, sorry bout your tough break there mate." Spike said as he reared back for a second try and Angel crumbled to dust.

Suddenly Spike was knocked from his feet be a vicious blow to the head, "You get the Hell away from my daughter!" Joyce warned brandishing a fire axe.

"Women!" Spike growled angrily as he rushed out the way he had come in, pausing briefly to look at the pile of ashes that had once been his grandsire Angelus.

"Thanks for the save there mom." Buffy praised.

"Well, I guess you can't live with the slayer without picking up a thing or two." Joyce responded wrapping an arm around her daughter's shoulder before adding, "Besides, no one messes with my girls."

"Got that right. Where's Dawn?"

"She's the others, she insisted on being among the last evacuated, consequently when I last saw them Janice had still refused to leave her side."

"Janice'll be alright, we just gotta get her back to her family…what's that look for?"

"Buffy, Janice is gonna be staying with us tonight her parents went with her brother Jace to the hospital…he had a set of puncture wounds in his neck." Joyce said softly while pulling her daughter tighter with her one arm.

Buffy was silent for a moment, silently adding Jace's name to the ever growing list of people she had failed since being called, "Well at least she seems to feel comfortable and safe around Dawnie right now."

"Jace could still pull through Buffy, he wasn't breathing on his own power, but he still had a pulse. There's a chance for him still."

"I hope so, for Janice's sake." Buffy said sincerely while adding in her head, _And for my sake._


	8. There's A New Slayer In Town

**There's A New Slayer In Town**

The gang was glad to have survived another fight, but there were two things to deal with now. One being the new master vampire in town, whose named had been William Pratt, but was most often called William the Bloody, or Spike (for his favorite way of torturing victims. Giles informed them that he and Angel had once been in the same group along with two female vamps named Darla and Drusilla, together they were known as the Scourge of Europe. He is credited with killing two slayers in the hundred years since his turning and is considered one of the most dangerous vampires in the world. Now that The Master, Angel, and Luke were dead he was third after Darla who was second only to Dracula now.

The other thing on everyone's mind was Angel's death. While he was a vampire he was not exactly hated by everyone. Even Xander who did actually hate him, though it was nothing against Angel personally it was more because he had an all-encompassing hate for the undead due to Jesse's death, even then Xander was able to respect that Angel was fighting for the greater good and trying to redeem his soul. They had no body to bury so instead they held a moment of silence in respect for their ally in the Summers' living room.

When they resumed research into Spike, Darla, and Drusilla there was a knock at the door. Buffy opened it to find a dark-haired young girl wearing a tattered leather jacket and thread-bare jeans carrying an Army style rucksack, "Hi, I was told to come here if I was in trouble…is Buffy Summers here?" She asked in a barely noticeable Boston accent looking guarded as she spoke.

Joyce came into the entry way and saw the girl who didn't look much older than Dawn standing outside her door wearing worn-out close and looking a bit malnourished and tired, "Buffy, are you gonna let the poor girl in or make her stand there all night?" She asked before turning to the girl, "I'm Joyce Buffy's mom. You look a bit hungry, can I get you something?"

"You don't have to, but it would be nice…name's Faith by the way." She replied as Buffy stepped aside and let her in.

"Well let's go into the living room and maybe you can tell me what the trouble is." Buffy said leading the girl into the room where the rest of the Scooby Gang was.

Dawn was in the middle of saying something to Giles and stopped mid-word when she saw the newcomer. If asked later she would claim it was because she was unsure at the time if they could speak freely around the Bostonian, but the main reason was she was awestruck when she saw Faith. _Damn, she's hot!_ Was the first thought to pass through Dawn's mind followed by, _She's probably straight._

Faith told the group her story, starting from when her watcher found her, "When I was eight I was already spending most of my time on the streets of South Boston. I don't know any of you that well right now so that's all you get as far as that goes, anyway one day this lady wearing a suit walks up to me. It's twilight and a guy I thought was just a bum was following me so I was headed in the direction of where I knew cops patrolled, a couple of them had been watchin out for me for a while. So this lady steps out looks from me to the guy following me then steps around me and starts talkin with the guy. I couldn't hear what they said, but suddenly the dudes face changed…as in more than just his expression and she was unphased, which seemed to surprise the guy. They fought a little bit and I could tell that the dude was stronger and faster than her, but she managed to keep up. So she gets him on the ground and calls me closer and when I'm close enough to see she drives a stake through his back into his heart. I guess I was shocked by it all cause the next thing I remember is waking up in her house. After she calms me down and convinces me she's not gonna hurt me she gives me the watcher spiel about vamps and what not. I can't help but believe her after what I saw so she started training me." Faith took a break to eat one of the sandwiches Joyce had made her.

When she finished off the glass of milk along with the sandwiches she continued the story, "So she got custody of me…easy with the Watcher's Council lawyers at your back. Got me healthy and started my training. She kept me up to date on the current slayer's activities and she was really excited about you Buffy, she liked how you did things your own way and told me I should watch what you do and apply aspects of how you fight without relying on the Council. She expected you to be one of the longest lived slayers in history and told me that if anything ever happened to her that I should make my way to you. Apparently I impressed her too, she said I was a quick study in Karate and Kung Fu, I got to her level in those styles quickly so she started teaching me what she used Aikido and Krav Maga, which is my personal favorite it's fast and brutal."

"Krav Maga?" Buffy asked.

"It's a style created by an Israeli and utilized by their military and government." Giles answered.

"It's fast and brutal and pulls from many different styles, mainly Karate, Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, and Muay Thai. Though it discourages kicks at higher than chest level since they put you off balance. Its specialty is multiple opponents, defense against an opponent with a weapon, and getting out of holds. It employs aspects of Jiu Jitsu too, but advises you to stay on your feet rather than fight from the ground like a wrestler." Dawn added.

Everyone just stared at her wondering how she knew any of that, "Snake Eyes' memories." She explained simply.

Faith cocked her eyebrow at that. "Halloween incident, someone will explain it to you later. Please continue your story." Buffy explained.

"Anyway earlier this year a vampire came through Boston, a vampire that hunts slayers, watchers, and potential slayers." Faith continued only to be interrupted when Giles gasped.

"Kakistos?" He asked.

Faith nodded, "He killed her in front of me, literally ripped her apart. I don't know how I got away, but I've been running to here on my own since then. Then about three months ago I felt the calling, Diane had told me about it and what I should expect to feel if I was called as the next slayer. I thought it meant that you were dead so I stopped in a town outside Oklahoma City and hunted vamps there for a while. One day I got ahold of one of Diane's contacts and they told me that you were still alive. So I started the journey here again and well, that's it really."

"Wow, you've certainly been through a lot and Diane will be greatly missed. She was a good friend. Being here with this group is probably the safest you can be Faith. If you want to stay with us we can get everything taken care of and I know we will all welcome you readily. I think everyone is a bit tired by now though, and we can talk more tomorrow. Do you have a place to stay?"

The Bostonian shook her head, "No, but I got enough cash for a motel…" She started to say before Joyce interrupted her.

"No way are you staying in a motel. You can share Dawn's room if you like."

"I don't wanna be a bother." She said.

"It won't be a problem at all." Dawn assured her, "We have an air mattress you can use and I'm guessing after travelling so long you'll wanna take a shower too. Come on, I'll show you where everything is." Insisted the youngest Summers, dragging the dark haired girl upstairs.

"She's in trouble now, Dawn's in insistent mode. That's almost as bad as Willster's resolve face." Xander said with a laugh.

The others shared in his laugh before Buffy calmed down enough to say, Giles, normally I'd ask about this Kakistos guy, but I think you're right about everyone needing sleep. Could you drive Xander and Willow home? Mom, Dawn, and I'll make sure Faith feels comfortable and welcome here."

"Right, well I guess you're right. Should we all meet up here after school tomorrow Joyce? Or would you rather meet at the school?" Giles asked.

"Why don't we all have dinner tomorrow before our meeting? It'll be Friday so we can run long with the research if we want to."

"That sounds splendid." Giles said, "Would you like me to bring anything for dinner?"

Xander and Willow looked like they were about to ask the same thing so Joyce answered, "If you all want to bring something then Rupert bring some dinner rolls, Xander and Willow bring something to drink or maybe a salad. I'll see you all tomorrow."

Joyce and Buffy walked their friends to the door and wished them goodnight. "So did you see the way Dawn was looking at that new girl?" Buffy asked as she closed the door, Joyce simply smiled at her oldest daughter in answer.

Upstairs Dawn had pulled the air mattress out of the attic and set it up in her room. She had asked Faith if she had any clean clothes for after her shower and upon hearing the girls answer lent her a pair of shorts and an old t-shirt. Dawn was just laying a sleeping bag down on the air mattress when Faith walked in fresh out of the shower.

"Damn, that hot shower felt surprisingly good!" Faith said happily as she finished drying her hair.

"Glad you enjoyed it," Dawn said, "I got your bed all set up. If you need anything just let me know."

"Actually all I want if you're up for it is to hear about this Halloween thing and why you have the memories of a cartoon/comic book character." Faith said.

"Well it was shortly before we fought The Master…" Dawn started as they sat on their beds. She told Faith all the details she could remember and by the time she was done with the story Faith was having trouble staying awake.

"That was an awesome story, but now I think I'm ready to get some sleep."

"Well then goodnight Faith and sleep well." Said Dawn as they both drifted off to sleep.

Dawn was woken up by some strange noises in her room and it took her a moment to realize that they were coming from Faith. The Bostonian slayer was thrashing around and whimpering in her sleep. Dawn remembered from one time with Buffy that a sleeping slayer was dangerous to wake up, so she went to her closet and grabbed her fighting staff and used it to tap Faith on the shoulder. As soon as the staff touched her the slayer woke in an instant and reflexively broke the staff just as Dawn suspected might happen. The slayer looked around the room frantically before remembering where she was. When she realized she was safe she started crying.

Dawn sat next to her tentatively, "Are you OK Faith?" She asked.

Faith leaned against the other girl, "I will be. Sorry about crying like a baby."

"It's alright, everyone needs to cry now and then. My mom and Dad told me once that it was better to cry and let your emotions out than to let it all build up…something about stress."

"I just hate having nightmares…it makes me feel weak."

"Well if you want you can sleep in my bed with me, Buffy says I'm good at keeping the nightmares at bay." Dawn said and Faith simply nodded her tears almost dried up at this point. The pair made their way to Dawn's bed where the youngest Summers pulled the covers over both of them. Faith rolled onto her side and laid her head on Dawn's shoulder while Dawn wrapped her arm around the other brunette's shoulders. "If you wanna talk about your dreams I'd be happy to listen too, if not that's fine too. My moms a good listener as well." Dawn added before the two girls fell back to sleep this time peacefully for both of them.


	9. What Family Means

**What Family Means**

Faith woke startled to find herself in a strange place, but her memory quickly came back to her so she wasn't too shocked to find herself clinging to the taller brunette beside her. The young slayer gently removed herself from the bed and made her way downstairs to the smell of coffee. She saw Buffy and Dawn's mom sitting at the kitchen island with a steaming cup of coffee. "Mornin Mrs. S." Faith said as she walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning Faith, if you're a coffee drinker the pot's on the counter and the cups are in the cupboard next to the fridge." Joyce replied.

"Thanks," Faith said as she poured herself a cup.

"Are you usually up this early?" Joyce asked indicating the time displayed on the microwave, six a.m.

"Sometimes, my internal clock adjusts itself as I become comfortable with where I'm staying." She answered, "Why, are Dawn and Buffy not usually early risers?"

"Only if they have plans for early morning." Answered the Summers' woman. "Do you have clothes to change into, or do they need washed?" Joyce then asked switching to "mom mode".

At first Faith was unsure how to handle the question, her clothes needed washed, but she also did not want to impose on these people she had just met. She had become good at reading people over her rough life and she only saw kindness in Joyce, "Yeah, I have one set that's clean. The rest of my stuff could use being washed, if it's not too much trouble. I could even help you with the laundry."

"That won't be necessary, but if you'd like to help with dinner later it would be helpful. Dawn's a good enough cook, but Buffy burns microwave popcorn." Joyce replied. "Faith I don't know how the meeting is going to go for sure, but more than likely you will be one of the topics. Since you're hear we will have to do something about permanent living arrangements for you. No matter what options you're given though you should think them over well before deciding. One option will be for me to adopt you…"

"Adopt me? But Mrs. Summers you barely even know me. I just showed up at your door last night!" Faith interrupted.

"That's true, but I wasn't done with all that my adopting you would entail. You would obviously have to begin training with Buffy and Rupert…Mr. Giles. You would be allowed to go on patrols with Buffy, but only about as often as Dawn goes. You would be enrolled in school and be expected to work as hard at your studies as I make Buffy and Dawn. There are other things too, but that covers most of it. You would have a place where you belong and where people care for and about you…a family."

"Never had anything like that except with my watcher, but I dunno if she really cared or if it was just part of the job description."

Joyce was about to say something else when Dawn came downstairs followed shortly by Buffy. She decided to end their conversation at that unless Faith chose to continue with Buffy and Dawn present. "So mom, did you think about what we talked about the other day?" Dawn asked as she poured herself and Faith a bowl of cereal.

"What thing we talked about?" Joyce asked, frowning in concentration, trying to remember whatever Dawn was talking about.

"You know when I said I wanted to join the track & field team and that we would have to buy me special shoes for running on and off the track. And you said you'd think about it cause the shoes are kinda expensive." Dawn answered.

"What e vents you gonna do?" Buffy asked as she sat next to her mom across from Dawn who was next to Faith.

"I wanna do the javelin for sure, but I'm also gonna try out for discus, high jump, and 1600 meter, one mile, both solo and relay." Dawn replied.

"So I guess you're pretty fast then huh?" Faith asked.

"Yeah, I've always liked running and with my sister being the slayer I've gotten good with all kinds of weapons through training with her, so the javelin seems like something I could do too."

"Well, if you wanna do volleyball then I have no problem with that. As far as the track team and track shoes go…I'll buy them for you if you work the cost off at the gallery. Deal?" Joyce asked.

Dawn squealed happily and jumped at her mom, hugging her tight, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"So, Faith what do you wanna do today?" Asked Joyce, "Sadly I have to go in to the gallery, you could go with me if you want, or you could stay here and get yourself better acquainted with the house if you want?"

"To be honest I'd probably get bored quick if I stayed here by myself, so I'll go with you Mrs. S. That is if you're sure about it." Faith answered.

Later on in downtown Sunnydale Joyce was finishing up giving Faith the grand tour of "Summers' Canvases And More". "This is a pretty nice place you got here Mrs. S. So you do paintings as well as carvings?"

"Yes, we also do some sculpture work and repairs and restorations for all different paint mediums, oil, water based, etcetera. Every now and then someone brings a painting or sculpture or piece of pottery for an appraisal. Those are what I like best studying a new piece and discovering it's history…That's the whole reason I majored in Art History, I'm just glad that I can love what I do for a living and that it provides more than enough enough to support my family."

Faith just nods, _Wow, Joyce is an amazing woman, raising two daughters, one of whom is the…a slayer and having to deal with the supernatural as well as raising two teenage girls? Wow, and she wants to offer me a place in her home too? Do I even deserve something like that?_ The Bostonian thought to herself while she simultaneously went over everything she had learned about Sunnydale's slayer and her friends and family in the very short time she had been there.

Faith spent the day at the shop with Joyce, helping whenever she was needed, but mainly just hanging out. Finally they left the gallery and as Joyce was locking the door a man with a gun came around the corner and confronted them. He was clearly going through withdrawal from something, his arms shaking and his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep. "Gimme your purse bitch!" He hissed his horrid breath reaching Faith as his words flowed over half-rotten teeth.

Faith could have easily taken the druggie down, but she was terrified of the gun pointed in her direction, reminding her of the last time she would ever see her dad.

_Flashback:_

_Faith was huddled behind her mother who stood over her six year old daughter protectively. While her dad raved on and on in a drunken stupor over how stupid the world was and how useless faith and her mom were. When there was a break in his rant her mom took a tentative step forward, "Honey, please put the…*BANG*" Faith's mother was interrupted by the gun firing and she fell to the ground after the bullet passed through her leg and carried on to graze Faith's shoulder on the other side. After that he put the gun to his head in full view of Faith and squeezed the trigger again. Her mother had never recovered emotionally after that and had become the alcoholic crack whore who had kicked Faith out of the house at eight years old._

Back in the here and now Faith heard the man order her to come with him which caused Joyce to step into a more protective stance in front of the scared teen. Joyce had already given him everything valuable she had and it seemed he wanted more. The thug glared angrily at Joyce, "Put your hands up bitch!" He ordered.

Joyce smiled inwardly, this would give her the opening she needed. Growing up and living in LA her parents had insisted she take self-defense classes and later on her marriage to Hank provided her with free military hand-to-hand combat courses. Disguising her attack by following his order to raise her hands Joyce struck out, grabbing the barrel of the handgun and simultaneously re-directing the muzzle. The would be mugger reflexively fired a shot, but it missed wide and he was unable to fire again due to Joyce's grip stopping the gun from re-cocking.

Joyce continued to redirect the gun until his right hand and hers along with the gun were pressed against the assailant's stomach. Now that she had control of the weapon she delivered several hard right crosses and upper-cuts to the attacker before reaching down to grab the gun with both her hands while the man was still dazed. She ripped the gun from his hand, breaking his trigger finger in the process. At about that moment Sunnydale's finest arrived, since the sun had not set yet.

Joyce handed an officer the gun and wrapped her arm around Faith. As soon as she felt the contact Faith wrapped her arms around Joyce and held her tight and buried her face in the older woman's neck. She refused to cry in public, but she definitely needed someone to hold right now. Once they had given the police their statements Joy lead the still clinging Faith over to her Jeep then just stood there, gently stroking the teen's hair, "It's OK Faith, it's over now." She softly reassured the girl.

Faith had calmed down by this point and was mostly just feeling embarrassed by her lack of action during the confrontation, "I'm sorry I froze. How did you handle that guy so well anyway?"

"Don't worry about your reaction right now Faith. Though if you wanna talk about it…" Joyce trailed off leaving the rest of her offer unspoken.

"Not right now, I'll tell you guys the rest of my story, my life pre-slayer days and that'll explain it."

"Well as for how I handled him…honey I grew up in LA with parents who insisted I learn self-defense and later I married a man who was special-operations military…you and Dawn aren't the only ones who know a thing or two about Krav Maga. We better get back to the house before Buffy and Dawn wonder where we are.

"Why did you step in front of me?" Faith asked, "He wouldn't have even looked back your way if you'd have let him take me."

Joyce looked at the dark haired girl as she came to a stop in her drive-way, "Because even though you haven't given me an answer to my offer to adopt you I can't help, but look at you as my own child. Someone I want to protect and take care of, the same way I see Buffy and Dawn and Willow and Xander, hell I even see Rupert that way at times. That's what family is Dear, people who mean more to you than your own life, people who's well-being you place above your own and above everyone who isn't a part of that family."

"I wanna be a part of that not just you, Buffy, and Dawn, but Xander, Willow, and Mr. Giles too. I wanna take you up on your offer Mrs…I wanna be part of your family, mom."


	10. Getting Out Of Town

**A/N:** I realize that the last few chapters have been somewhat "fluffy" and lacking in the show storyline, but the next chapter will get us back to the action…promise. I'll even give you a slight preview-ish type thing. It's gonna be "What's My Line" part 1&2.

**Getting Out Of Town**

A few weeks had gone by since Faith arrived in town and with her willingness to become a part of the Summers' family, a decision that the Watcher's Council was (surprisingly) in favor of. With the backing of the Council's legal team the adoption process moved very quickly and all Joyce had to do was sign a few papers. She was, however, very suspicious of the Council and soon realized that Buffy and even Giles had similar feelings. With the help of some friends she had made when Hank was in the military, along with Giles calling in a few favors of his own they were able to have their own team of lawyers, independent and, somewhat, honest legal counsel from several different law firms throughout the country had a look at the papers the Council had sent, and by the time they were finished making changes the Watcher's had very little sway (no more than what they had with Buffy) over the life Faith would have once the papers were signed.

With the issues with the Watcher's Council taken care of for the moment. Joyce then set about getting the younger slayer enrolled in school, with the amount of time she had been out of classes she ended up testing into Dawn's grade-level. The weekend the adoption went through Joyce, Dawn, Buffy, and Willow took Faith on a shopping trip to LA. As it turned out the team of lawyers Joyce now had on her side had discovered that in the past the Council had helped other slayers financially and after a short meeting with the council and with a couple high power name drops The Summers' family found their income supplemented to the tune of four thousand dollars a month, two thousand apiece for Buffy and Faith, along with back pay.

Faith acted disinterested, even a little repulsed at having to go shopping with the others, but secretly she was just happy to be included and have people that wanted to be around her, even if shopping really was a little boring in her mind. Aside from the essentials that she absolutely needed (ie shirts, jeans, and underwear) Joyce did not drag Faith into any stores that the girl was uninterested in. After getting her dismal wardrobe taken care of Faith and Dawn went off on their own while Joyce, Willow, and Buffy continued on in a shoe-shopping frenzy.

"Do you like to read?" Dawn asked as they approached a Barnes & Noble.

"Sometimes. Do you wanna go in and look around in there D?" Faith responded.

The two young girls looked around the book store for a while and were able to find a few books they were interested in. After checking out there they headed back out to the mall lobby. They walked along in a comfortable silence, every now and then talking about some random subject that one of them thought of. Then Faith saw a store that she really wanted to check out and practically dragged Dawn by the arm behind her, "Cmon D, we gotta check this place out!"

"Sunglass Hut? Really you need a pair of sunglasses that badly Faith?" Dawn asked rhetorically with a smirk at the overly excited girl.

Faith blushed lightly, realizing how enthusiastic she had been, "Well to make up for dragging you in here like that, how bout I buy you any pair of sunglasses you want here?"

"You don't have to do that Faith." She answered, "Not that I won't accept your offer, but you don't have to."

"I want to D, besides, it's not like I won't be buying myself at least one pair as well." Faith said smiling.

The duo perused the aisles of the store for a while before Dawn settled on a pair of Ray-Ban Aviators. She chose a pair with the classic style gold colored frame with black, mirrored lenses. Faith however went for a pair of Oakley Flak Jacket with jet-black frame and red mirrored lenses. The shop manager's jaw almost hit the ground when the teens paid him cash for the designer shades and they left the store with arms linked together giggling at the man's expression while sporting their new eye wear.

"So what should we do next D?" Faith asked as they rode an escalator up to the second level of the mall.

"I dunno, I'm not as into clothes and shoe shopping as mom, Buffy, or even Willow, so I won't drag you around to any of those places…" Dawn replied scanning the nearby shops. Seeing one that piqued she continued, "How bout that video game store?" She asked pointing to the GameStop off to their right.

"Sounds good to me, lead the way GI Dawn." Faith answered with a grin (her nickname for Dawn referencing Dawns memories as Snake Eyes from the GI Joe comics).

Dawn just rolled her eyes at the name, but couldn't hold back the smile, "You know that one was pretty good as nicknames go."

"Really?" Faith asked as they entered the game store.

"Yeah you're getting almost as good at making up nicknames as Xander is." Dawn said with a laugh while dodging Faith's playful slap.

"That was a low blow D!" Faith exclaimed with a chuckle, trying to pull off a fake pout.

"Well let's buy some electronics so we can work at frying our brains with video game goodness and take your mind off that oh so insulting comment, by the way the fake pout…don't work for you, best leave that to me."

An hour later they all met up again in the food court. Where Buffy and Dawn had a short, hushed conversation. After which they both ate quickly and left Joyce, Willow, and Faith to finish their meals. Later on Dawn came back and had her mom follow her, and when they got close to where Buffy was waiting she reached up and covered her mom's eyes, "Trust me on this mom…you're gonna love this surprise, but no peeking." Dawn said seriously causing Joyce to smile, she went along with her daughter's instructions, happy to let them surprise her.

They lead Joyce into a store that smelled strongly of leather and rubber, _Oh my God! What kind of store are they taking me into?_ She thought picturing whips along with leather and latex outfits, then she thought back to when she and Hank had experimented with some rather kinky toys early on in their marriage. She blushed lightly as she pushed those thoughts from her mind for now. She was releaved when she started to smell a hint of motor oil. _Thank God! It's just a car lot…_ She sighed, _Oh my God they brought me to a car lot!_ Her breath caught in her throat as she thought over the implications.

Buffy and Dawn both noticed their mother's various reactions and smiled when her breath hitched. Joyce had been worried about her Jeep for a long time now, it was constantly breaking down and stalling, but she could not afford to fix it, nor could she afford to buy a newer car. Her daughters had been planning this since they heard just how much Buffy would be getting with her three years-worth of back pay from the Council. They couldn't wait to see their mom's face when she saw their gift for her.

Dawn removed her hands from Joyce's eyes and stood with Buffy next to the brand new Chevrolet Suburban that they had just bought, with Buffy's money, for Joyce. The eldest Summers woman was speechless as she stared at the large black vehicle before her it was sparkling clean with a big red bow tied to the grill. "You like it mom?" Buffy asked as she and Dawn walked over and stood on either side of Joyce.

"I love it girls…" She said softly with tears in her eyes, "You are both so amazing!" She added before kissing both her girls on the top of their heads. Suddenly she had another thought, "What are we gonna do with the rental?" She asked referring to the mini-van she had rented for the trip since she would not trust her Jeep with freeway travel.

"We thought of that too mom. The company you rented it from has a branch just across the street, you can leave it with them. Aren't we smart?" Dawn answered adding her own sarcastic question.

"Yes, yes, you definitely are." Joyce answered. So are you guys ready to go then? Cause I wanna drive my new car!"

"Umm, yeah we're all ready I think…" Buffy said seeing Willow and Faith nod their heads, "You just need to finish the paperwork that I couldn't handle myself and we'll load up while you do that."

A few minutes later with the rental car and paper work taken care of Joyce and the girls headed back to Sunnydale all of them happy with how the day had gone. Willow had been able to spend time with her best girlfriend as well as the woman she viewed as a surrogate mother, Joyce spent the day with her girls, all four of them.

Faith got to see more into how a family is meant to function and had realized that she found a good friend in Dawn Summers someone to just hang out with and have fun. Joyce was great and all, and pretty cool most of the time, but she did have to get parental now and then. Buffy she had grown close to because of their shared destiny, but when they weren't talking about slaying or out patrolling Buffy became a bit distant, almost like she was unsure how to act around Faith when not dealing with apocalyptic things. "It's not too weird when you think about it." Willow had said once when she had overhead Faith one day.

"What ya mean Red?" Faith had asked.

"Well, look at it this way, until now there's only ever been one slayer. Obviously a lonely gig, but a product of being alone usually means that if you meet another of your kind you want to be in charge, the Alpha. Two slayers means two Alpha type personalities. It doesn't mean the two of you can't be friends, it just means that you both have to work harder. Tell me do you also feel a bit distant from Xander and me too?" The hacker replied.

Faith said, "Yeah…I guess I do a little, not because you guys haven't been friendly. It's just an almost instinctual feeling I get, but how come I don't feel the same with G-man, Dawnie, and Joyce?"

"Well as to Xander and I it's because we're part of Buffy's "pack" if you will. Giles, Joyce and Dawn, even though they all care deeply for Buffy and she loves them as well, Joyce in her status in the world is over Buffy and has a pack of her own. Which includes us Scoobies, Dawn, You, and you could probably include Giles too. Giles is outside Buffy's pack because he has both you and Buffy under his wing so to speak, as well as his obligations to the Watcher's Council. As for Dawnie…well I'm not sure, it could be that though she is Buffy's sister and lovers her she also feels the need to be considered equal to her sibling. In fact Dawn may very well be the first member of your own "pack"."

Faith smiled as she remember her talk with Willow, the red head's answer might sound like a psychoanalysis given by a first year student from UC Sunnydale, but Faith felt that it was mostly on the mark. _I think I could get used to this,_ Faith thought, _These people are quickly becoming like family to me…real family blood ties be damned._ She then looked at Dawn who was sitting next to her, _I wonder what she'd think about what Red and I talked about? Wonder if she would consider herself the first member of my "pack"?_ Then a voice in her head that had never made itself none corrected her, _**Not first pack member only…our mate.**_ It said.

_WHAT THE FUCK!? _Faith almost yelled out loud. _Dammit did I get a spell cast on me?_

_**No spell, I and you are one…the same. Without me you're not strong, without you I have no vessel.**_

_You're the slayer._ Faith more stated than asked after a couple minutes of thinking.

_**Yes.**_

_Why haven't you ever talked to me before…like when Kakistos attacked?_

_**I'm sorry the watcher died…I liked her too and again I'm sorry, but I didn't interfere because I knew our destiny was to begin with coming to the hellmouth. I knew our mate was here.**_

_Mate? Don't I have a say in this, doesn't Dawn have a say?_

The voice of the slayer spirit sighed, _**It's not something that need happen immediately. I probably should have not spoken to you yet, but I got a bit excited, there are things I know, things I've been shown that we accomplish in the future…to fight the evil. Things that we do to help our sister slayer and all our family here. As well as fights we are a part of in the future where we lead our own pack with our mate by our side, a force to be reckoned with in her own right. However I know that now is not the time to build that type of relationship with her yet, grow as friends first…you will see that she should become our mate and she will want it to happen as well. Just be patient and let things happen. The last thing I'll say on the subject is also the most important, don't impede your relationship with her, let it grow as it should and don't dwell on whether we are worthy to have her as our mate. Let it be enough that some power in the universe has given us this gift…**_

The voice trailed off and when Faith refocused Joyce was pulling into the driveway of their house, _Was I sleeping was I dreaming that voice?_ She asked half expecting an answer, _Musta been a dream…Dawn's probably straight anyway…_


	11. What's My Line part 1

**What's My Line (Pt. 1)**

"Are you a people person, or do you prefer keeping your own company?" Xander read as he and Buffy walk through the halls of the high school, "Well, what if I'm a people person who keeps his own company by default?" He asked.

They walk over and join Willow at a nearly empty lunch table. Their red haired friend is working on her own aptitude test. "Mark _none of the above_ then." Buffy answered.

"Well, that's just it, there are no boxes for _none of the above_. That would introduce too many variables into their mushroom head, number-crunching little world."

"I'm sensing bitterness." Willow interjected, looking up from her test.

"No, it's just these people can't tell from one multiple-choice test what we're gonna be doing for the rest of our lives. It's ridiculous!"

Willow smiled and added, "I'm kinda curious to find out what sort of career I could have."

"What, and suck all the spontaneity out of being young and stupid? I'd rather live in the dark." The boy replied.

"You're not gonna be young forever." Willow advised.

"Yes, but I'll always be stupid. Okay, let's not all rush to disagree." Xander joked, then his face fell, "Okay, don't everyone jump in to disagree."

"You're not stupid." Buffy deadpanned.

Xander gave her a sarcastic grin, then looked up when he heard Cordelia. She had a clipboard, and was taking her test as she walked into the lounge accompanied by two of her groupies.

"_I aspire to help my fellow man_. Check. As long as he's not smelly, dirty or something gross." Cordelia said as she walked by their table.

"Cordelia Chase, always ready to give a helping hand to the rich and the pretty." Xander said venomously.

"Which, lucky me, excludes you. Twice." Cordelia retorted.

Xander had no reply, so Cordelia just walked away followed closely by her cronies.

Xander turned to Buffy and Willow, "Is murder always a crime?" He asked rhetorically.

Buffy ignored him, focused on her own test, "Do I like shrubs?"

"That's between you and your god." Xander offered.

Buffy looked up to Willow, "What'd you put?"

"I came down on the side of shrubs."

"Go shrubs! Okay!" Buffy suddenly let out her frustration, "Ugh! I shouldn't even be bothering with this. It's all mootville for me. No matter what my aptitude test says, we already know my deal."

"Yup, high risk, sub-minimum wage..." Xander said.

"Pointy wooden things..." Buffy added.

"Then why are you even taking the test?" Willow asked.

"It's Principal Snyder's hoop of the week. He's not happy unless I'm jumping. Believe me, I would *not* be here otherwise." Buffy answered with a sigh.

Willow felt sorry for her short blonde friend and placed her hand over top of Buffy's, giving the slayer's hand a gentle squeeze. "You're not even a teensy weensy bit curious about what kinda career you could've had? I mean, if you weren't already the Slayer and all." She asked.

"Do the words _sealed in fate_ ring any bells for you, Will? Why go there?" Buffy snapped.

Willow was clearly hurt and drew her hand back. "God, I'm sorry Will." Buffy said, upset with herself, "I didn't mean to snap at you like that. I just get jealous sometimes when I realize that everyone else in the world has choice of the path they take in life…for me, it's only one option. It's depressing when it hits like that, especially at times like this when everyone is being shown the options before them, and to top it off I have to participate and see what I'll never get to be."

Willow wrapped her arm around the shoulders of her friend and hugged her from the side. Buffy sighed and leaned into the comforting hug, momentarily laying her head on  
Willow's shoulder.

A few blocks away at Sunnydale Junior High, Faith was settling in well to her first day of classes. She only shared two class periods with Dawn, but she was unworried about making a bunch of friends, so she just took it a moment at a time. At lunch she was introduced to Dawn's small group of friends which consisted of Janice and Amanda. Faith liked Amanda, she was a nice girl, even if she was awkward and slightly shy. Janice was a different story, the slayer watched how Janice interacted with the other two girls as well as how she treated the other students. _She's one of those privileged types who is used to her orders being followed._ Faith thought to herself, _I'm surprised people like Dawn and Amanda hang out with her._

Faith voiced her thoughts carefully to Dawn later that day as they were walking home from school. She made sure she was careful in how she phrased her questions, seeing how she was not interested in getting Dawn upset with her, "So, D, your friends are nice. Janice seems a bit…intense though." She started and left it at that to see how the lanky brunette would react.

Dawn looked intensely at her companion for a second, ready to defend her choice in friends. Then she sighed when she realized that Faith was not actually criticizing her and Amanda, nor was she putting Janice down. "Yeah, Janice is a bit intense, even downright mean at times, but she and Amanda were the only two friends I've made here who are my age. I tell Buffy and the others all the time that I'm not a little kid, but it's nice to have people around who're closer to my age and maturity level. And have the same pop culture views I do."

"I understand that D, but the way she treats you and Amanda…I don't know if I'd be able to handle that…and she's supposed to be your friend."

"In all honesty she isn't usually that bad, but she kinda sees herself as the alpha of our group, something I haven't chosen to challenge her for, and I think she might have sensed you as competition for her." Dawn answered and seeing the look on Faith's face continued, "What!? I read a lot and I found a box of mom's old college textbooks, apparently she was like two or three classes away from a masters in psychology when she settled for her art history degree."

"So what? You're like a female junior high Doctor Phil or somethin?"

"Oh come on Faith!" Dawn shouted, shoving her friend playfully, "Besides, I look terrible with a mustache."

When they got home the duo walked past a sulking Buffy while on their way to the refrigerator for refreshments. "Wassa matter Buffy?" Dawn asked, taking the seat next to her sister at the kitchen island.

"Aptitude test." Buffy replied simply.

"What about aptitude test…oh, I get it. It's a slayer thing right?"

Buffy nodded and had a slight repeat of her earlier conversation with Xander and Willow. "Well, Buffy, with two slayers now you guys could like share the slay-load, find a nice part-time job and be pretty happy in life really."

"But B and I don't know how long we're gonna live, D. Hopefully we both get nice long lives and die peacefully in our sleep, but who really knows? Slaying tonight, we might both get taken out." Faith interjected.

At that point Joyce walked in, even though she had missed most of the conversation she had a good idea what it was about, "Yes, Faith, that may be true, but life's a multi-lane highway. Dawn could get tangled up in her sheets on waking up in the morning, fall out of bed and break her neck. I could get killed by some thug looking to make a quick buck off my art gallery." She said walking up behind the two slayers and putting a loving hand on each of their shoulders. "You two may have a high-risk calling, but no one's life is certain."

"Yeah," Dawn added, "After all, the hardest thing in this life is to live it." Said the young girl sagely.

Three sets of eyes turned to look at the twelve year old, "What?" She asked checking her reflection in the screen of her phone to try and see why they were staring at her.

"You need to stop getting so wise, sis." Buffy stated, pointing at Dawn and wearing a genuine smile.

_Damn she's smart! And hot too!_ Faith thought, _Yeah I got it bad._ The Bostonian snuck glances at Dawn while the conversation moved to what they wanted for dinner.

Later that night Buffy and Faith are patrolling together. They are walking through one of Sunnydale's many cemeteries when they hear a strange clinking noise coming from a large mausoleum. Buffy signals for Faith to be ready while she goes up to the door and peeks inside. She sees a balding vampire with glasses chipping away at the wall and removing something.

Buffy stepped back next to Faith and they wait for the vamp to come out. "Do the words _rest in peace_ mean nothing to you people?" Asked the elder slayer once the door closed behind the bespectacled vamp.

"Oh wait, we forgot, you aint people." Faith said immediately after.

The two slayers made a move toward the vamp, who was obviously carrying something from the recently raided tomb. Before they could get to him though they were intercepted by five vamps. Buffy took on three of them, leaving the other two for Faith and soon they were so many piles of dust. "Now where were…" Buffy trailed off seeing the other vampire was long gone.

"Shit, B, he got away." Faith stated, "Whad'ya think he was afta?" She then asked, briefly letting her Boston accent show through.

"I dunno, but I guess we should go inside and look around real quick before we go home. I'll talk to Giles about it in the morning, I don't think we need to bother him tonight." Buffy answered, Faith nodded as she followed the other girl into the mausoleum.

When they got back to the house they saw Dawn and Willow in the living room, talking on the couch. Seeing her sister walk in Dawn looked up from her conversation with Willow. "Hey Buffy. Mom got a last minute invite, all expenses paid, to an art show in New York. She'll be gone a few days. And Willow called while you guys were out, she was feeling lonely so I invited her over."

"You didn't walk over by yourself did you?" Buffy asked worriedly.

"No your mom dropped Dawn off at my house on her way out of town and we walked here together…with shotguns." Willow explained.

Buffy and Faith both frowned hearing that the two had walked through half the town by themselves. The looks went unnoticed by the other two girls however and Dawn soon changed the topic of conversation, "Oh and Buffy, Willow figured out a new spell to hide our weapons when we carry them. Take a good look at me right now." She said standing up. She was wearing a light-weight tank top that clung to her developing body and a pair of boy shorts, "See anything out of the ordinary?" She asked.

Buffy looked her sister over quickly and shook her head. Faith just stared, eyes taking in the figure before her, with her mouth hanging slightly open. If anyone noticed the girl was blatantly staring they failed to mention it. "Okay…you're in your PJs. So what?" Buffy replied.

Dawn grinned and pulled out her katana which was strapped to her back. She then drew her FN five-seven from her hip holster. By the time she was finished removing her weapons she had revealed that she had been well and fully armed with six stakes, four total pistols, her katana and three knives.

Willow and Dawn smiled, proud of themselves while Buffy and Faith processed what they'd just seen. "Wow, D, Red, that's pretty fuckin cool!" Faith praised them.

"I agree, very cool, but what if someone bumps into you can you hide it then?" Buffy asked.

Willow turned to look at her accomplice, "I think another demonstration is in order Dawnie."

Dawn in turn stepped up in front of Faith, "Give me your hand." She said, to which Faith quickly complied.

Dawn gently grabbed Faith's wrist and guided the slayer's hand until it rested high on the younger girl's hip, "What do you feel, Faith?" She asked.

"Hot," Faith mumbled causing Buffy and Willow to snicker while Dawn just smiled, "Um…I feel your hip D." She continued with a blush growing on her cheeks.

Dawn then moved her hand and slowly drew her last weapon from its sheath. As the dagger came into view Faith felt her hand pushed away slightly from Dawns hip by the still invisible sheath. "Holy shit! That's weird, but cool too!" Faith exclaimed.

"The weapons remain invisible until drawn and the sheath remains invisible while it's on your body. The only time some would be able to feel the weapon or sheath is when you draw it and the sheath remains invisible, but, as Faith found out, while the weapon is being drawn the sheath can be felt by someone else. That's a minor inconvenience, but if you're already drawing the weapon it won't affect anything." Willow explained, neither she nor Buffy noticing that Faith's hand was still resting on Dawn's hip.

Dawn and Faith were standing still, seemingly lost in one another's eyes, before being brought back to reality by Buffy, "You guys wanna go to the store and pick up a couple pizzas?"

"Sure thing sis, damn I love Fridays!" Dawn replied, "I just gotta go get changed."

Faith was hesitant to move, but she soon did. She stepped to the side to let Dawn past, keeping her fingers in contact with the other girl as much as possible, until the last second when their lingering contact would be obvious to the other two in the room.

Faith went down to her room in the recently finished basement and put away most of her weapons and to find a favorite sword of hers for Willow to cast the new invisibility spell on.

Willow followed Buffy up to her room for the same reason. While Buffy was digging out the gladius she wanted en-spelled Willow's eye was caught by a picture she had not seen before. It was of a younger buffy with ice skates at an ice rink. "I didn't know you used to ice skate Buffy."

"Oh, my God." Buffy laughed as she walked over next to Willow, "My Dorothy Hamill phase. My room in L.A. was pretty much a shrine. Dorothy dolls, Dorothy posters, I even got the Dorothy haircut. Thereby securing a place for myself in the geek hall of fame."

"You wanted to be like her?"

"I wanted to _be_ her. My parents were fighting all the time, and skating was an escape. I felt safe."

"When was the last time you put on your skates?"

"About a couple of hundred demons ago." Buffy sighed.

"There's a rink out past Route 17, it's...closed tomorrow, for renovation." Willow said, excitedly, before realizing that it would be out of business for a couple days.

"Well maybe we can go when it reopens." Buffy offered, stepping closer to her friend.

"Hmm, I don't know if Xander likes ice skating." Willow said unable to step back because of the wall behind her, so she dropped her gaze to the floor.

"Who said anything about Xander?" Buffy asked placing her fingers under the shy girl's chin to make Willow look her in the eye, "Maybe I want some Willow time." She said in a voice that made the red head's breath hitch.

"Hey! Are you guys comin with us or what!?" Dawn suddenly called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Be there in a second!" Buffy called back, turning her head so as to not yell in Willows face. "I really would like to hang out just you and me Will." Buffy said as they left the slayer's room.

Willow just nodded, she had some things to think about. Things she had never really thought about in her Xander focused world.

On Monday morning Xander was in the quad looking at the bulletin board where the results of their aptitude tests were posted. There was a crowd standing around it already so he was patiently waiting his turn. As the crowd thinned out he heard the ever annoying voice of Cordelia Chase, Sunnydale High's number one bitch. "Here's me! Personal shopper or motivational speaker. Awesome!"

"Motivational speaker for what? Ten ways a bitchier you?" Xander asked.

"Okay, _Mister_ Harris. What about you?" She asked while scanning the H-K list, "Oh, wow, you're…" She trailed off giggling and walked away, her posse in tow.

Xander walked up to Buffy and Willow soon after his run-in with Cordelia, "Would the two of you say you know me as well as anyone else? Maybe better even than I know myself?"

"What brought this on?" Willow asked with one eyebrow raised.

"Do I look like a prison guard to either of you? Cause that's what my test results say. Corrections official."

Buffy tried not to, but eventually burst into a hearty laugh. "Laugh now Miss Summers, but you've been assigned to the law enforcement professional's booth."

"You mean police?" She asked, her happy face falling instantly.

"Yup, polyester, donuts, and brutality."

"But hey, donuts. So it's not all bad right?" Willow asked, trying to be helpful.

"True, donuts are of the good."

Buffy goes off to check in with Giles and Xander turns to head to his next class. Willow grabs Xander's arm, "You didn't happen to check what I was assigned to, did you?" She asked.

"I did Willster, but your name wasn't on the board. Maybe you should ask Snyder about it, or better yet, one of the other teachers." Xander answered and took off, leaving a confused Willow in his wake.

In the library Buffy is in conference with Giles over what she and Faith discovered while patrolling Friday night.

Across town in an abandoned warehouse Spike was talking to his psychic/psychotic lover Drusilla. She is concentrating on the item that the vamp who escaped Buffy and Faith brought to them.

"This is it then?" Spike asked.

Drusilla removed her hand and opened her eyes again, "It hums. I can hear it."

"Once you're well again, we'll have a coronation down Main Street, and invite everyone, and drink for seven days and seven nights." Spike said to her

Behind them the other vamp spoke, "What about the Slayer? She almost blew the whole thing for us. She's trouble."

Spike looked at him, "You _don't_ say, Dalton, old boy? Trouble?! She's the gnat in my ear! The gristle in my teeth! She's the bloody thorn in my BLOODY SIDE!" He shouted and violently kicked the table. "We gotta do something. We'll never complete your cure, Dru, not with that bitch breathing down our necks." Spike sighed, "I need to bring in the big guns. They'll take care of her once and for all."

"Big guns?" Dalton asked.

"The Order of Taraka."

Drusilla dealt three tarot cards. One is a Cyclops, the second a centipede, and the third is a panther. "They're coming to my party. Three of them." Spike walked back to the bed to look at the cards.

"Uh, yeah, but...The Order of Taraka, I mean...isn't that a bit overkill?" Dalton questioned.

"No, I think it's just enough kill." Spike answered, "Now shut up and get back to work." He ordered, shoving Dalton across the room.

T.B.C.


End file.
